Eight arrests as police investigate £2.25m of stolen vehicles across Greater Manchester
'Operation Norma' is focusing on the theft of more than 70 vehicles since October 2019.
Police have made eight arrests as part of a large-scale investigation into stolen vehicles worth over £2,250,000 in Greater Manchester.
The men, aged between 19 and 46, were taken into custody this morning as part of 'Operation Norma' - which was launched following the theft of over 70 vehicles since October last year.
Officers from GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group started the investigation following a report of a stolen Mercedes from Manchester City Centre on 12th October 2019. Officers located the vehicle and discovered what was believed to be a "chop shop" at Poolstock Lane in Wigan.
Following extensive enquiries, a number of vehicles have been recovered as part of the operation, with some seized in containers due to be shipped abroad.
A number of suspected chop shops were also subsequently raided in Chadderton, Oldham and Bolton where approximately another 45 stolen vehicles or parts linked to stolen vehicles were discovered. Following enquiries, detectives also found what they believed to be parts from stolen cars for sale on the internet.
The investigation continues and a number of cars and parts thought to be stolen are currently being sought or undergoing examination.
Detective Inspector Roger Smethurst, from GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: "These arrests have been the result of long, hard work into a sophisticated large-scale stolen cars operation and they are a huge step in our aim to reduce car thefts across Greater Manchester.
"I would like to reassure the public that GMP remain committed to tackling burglary and targeting those responsible of stealing cars. A lot of the work GMP do to tackle the issue may not be visible but catching those responsible remains a force priority.
"Cars are of both great value and sentimental value to some people and we understand that having a car stolen can have a huge impact both financially and emotionally.
"We constantly monitor the number of burglaries across Greater Manchester and information is continuously gathered and acted upon. Teams from across GMP work together to deter, disrupt and ultimately dismantle organised crime groups on a daily basis.
"Officers from GMP's Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) along with other teams use both covert and marked cars, as well as ANPR technology, to catch who we believed to be burglars and robbers in cars thought to be stolen.
"Stolen cars is a national issue and we continuously work with colleagues across the UK to tackle the problem and there are a number of investigations and lines of enquiry on-going.
"We will continue to work to bring offenders to justice, but I would ask that residents help us to help them by following our simple advice - do not leave your car keys on show or where they can easily be reached when at home, always keep your windows and doors locked and for anyone who has a steering lock, I would encourage you to use it.
"There are also other ways to help keep your car safe such as investing in a tracking device.
"Anyone with information about car thefts or anyone who believes suspicious activity is taking place at premises' can call 101 or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
Bev Hughes, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: “These arrests are a result of painstaking hard work carried out by frontline police officers, who have dedicated hours to investigating car thefts in the city-region and I want to thank them for their determination and success in seeing this through. It’s been a long, complex operation that has caused untold distress and hardship to our citizens, and the officers deserve our praise and recognition.
“We are committed in Greater Manchester to tackling all forms of serious and organised crime through Programme Challenger. By tackling these problems as a partnership, as well as working with local authorities and communities, we can effectively deal with the harm caused by organised crime.
“I urge victims of car thefts to continue to report such crimes, as it will help officers inform their overall intelligence and continue to drive operations like these.”