Police are investigating several reports of drinks being spiked in the Fallowfield area of Manchester and people can expect to see extra patrols in the area this weekend visiting pubs and bars.
As well as increased patrols to target offenders, GMP will be also providing advice through its social media channels this weekend on how people can better protect themselves from having their drinks spiked and enjoy a safe night out.
A woman reported on 29 September that her drink had been spiked the night before in a bar in Fallowfield.
The incident is believed to have happened between 11:30pm and 00:30am.
GMP is aware of five incidents of drinks being spiked in Fallowfield on three other dates in September
The victims are all females and all displayed the same symptoms including vomiting. All the victims are being supported by specialist GMP officers.
Detective Inspector John Robb, of GMP’s City of Manchester south division, said: “Drink spiking is a horrible experience for anyone, but we are starting to see that women are being targeted in this area and therefore we will be increasing our presence to help protect people and prevent these crimes.
“We are working with the bar and the University of Manchester, and will have officers on patrol this weekend to catch these offenders and ensure everyone has advice and guidance on how best to keep themselves safe when enjoying their night out.
“We encourage everyone on a night out to have fun, but remain alert and if anyone sees anything suspicious to report it to us right away.
“Whilst we will do all we can to tackle this, we recommend taking preventative measures too, such as not leaving your drink unattended and never accepting a drink that you haven’t seen being prepared.
“If you suspect you have been spiked, seek medical advice and report it to the police as soon as you can.
“Any reports we have of drink spiking will be taken seriously and the more information we have about these kind of incidents the more we can build a bigger picture and target those responsible.
“We hope everyone in Manchester enjoys their time here, and it’s our job to help make sure that happens.”
