Thieves and vandals hit 90 cars at airport
POLICE ARREST FOUR BOYS, AGED 14 AND 15, ON SUSPICION OF THEFT
NINETY holidaymakers using Manchester Airport’s car parks have reported their vehicles broken into or vandalised over a two-week period.
The M.E.N. has learned that between July 3 and July 17, Greater Manchester Police received a staggering 43 reports of criminal damage, 34 incidents of theft from vehicles and 13 cases of car interference.
We first told how at least a dozen high-class cars – including Mercedes, BMWs, Audis and Range Rovers - were thought to have been broken into at the multi-storey car park at Terminal 1 on July 7.
Since then, our reporters have been inundated with calls from people who have returned to Manchester to find their cars broken into across the airport’s ‘safe’ and ‘secure’ car parks.
On Saturday, police made four arrests in connection with thefts from the airport.
Three 15-year-old boys and one 14-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of theft and have since been bailed pending further inquiries.
Last week, holidaymakers branded the spate of break-ins a crimewave.
Many have complained of paying ‘expensive’ fees at car parks, only to return from holiday to find their vehicles damaged.
One person claimed to have seen at least 30 damaged vehicles in one car park after discovering his Jaguar had been ‘smashed in.’ Another said the situation was ‘out of control.’
Thieves appear to be most prolific at the multi-storey car park at Terminal 1 and the ‘JetParks’ area.
Chief Insp Andrew Sutcliffe, of GMP’s Airport division, said: “The last thing you want when you get back from your holiday is to find that your valuables have been stolen, or your car has been damaged. Although we’ve made arrests, we are still carrying out a number of inquiries and I cannot stress how important it is for anyone who may have information to contact police. We have increased patrols significantly around the car parks and are closely monitoring the area, to do as much as we can to reduce and, ultimately stop, this activity.
“Working closely with the airport, we have introduced a range of additional security measures but would advise any passengers using the car parks not to leave valuables on display.
“If you have any information about these thefts that could help our investigation, please speak to our officers at the airport on 101.”
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “We’re aware of a number of vehicles being damaged and are working with GMP to introduce a range of additional security measures. We’d advise any passengers using any car parks on site, not to leave any valuables on display.”
Reports can also be made through Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
A FLIGHT due to depart from Manchester at the weekend has finally taken off - three days late.
Passengers had been left in limbo after the plane bound for Pakistan suffered a series of technical faults.
Pakistan International Airlines flight PK702 to Islamabad was scheduled to depart from Manchester Airport at 9pm on Saturday.
But by Tuesday morning the Boeing 777 was still on the tarmac as engineers were said to be waiting for parts to be flown in from Pakistan. An estimated 300-plus passengers, including some families and the elderly, boarded the aircraft at Terminal 2 on Saturday night.
They spent about two hours on the stationary aircraft before being told to disembark due to an engine fault. Some passengers were taken to nearby hotels while others went home. They were told to return to the airport on Sunday night, with the jet due to leave at 9pm.
Engineers tried to fix the problem, but by 1.30am on Sunday, they were told to leave again. Nabila Shabbir, 32, from Bolton, whose 68-year-old mother was booked on the flight, told the M.E.N. on Monday evening: “On Sunday night we arrived again, three hours before the flight, and the passengers were issued with updated boarding passes.
“As soon as they got into the terminal they were told about a two-hour delay. They were told there were a number of technical issues on top of the engine problem. We were told it wasn’t just the engine.
“You can imagine my mother and the other passengers were extremely anxious. We were told there’s another plane coming from Pakistan with parts for the plane.”
On Tuesday at 2.45pm the plane finally commenced its seven-hour journey from Manchester Airport bound for Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
Speaking to the M.E.N. on Tuesday evening, Ms Shabbir said: “We got a call at 8am this morning telling us to arrive at the airport for 10am, but when we got there it was absolute chaos. We left the airport about midday and she still hadn’t heard when the flight was going to take off. We got a text around 2.45pm saying the plane was finally taking off.
“My mum was exhausted at this point because of the stress of it all. We as a family won’t relax until that plane has safely landed.
“We have not heard anything about compensation.
“We kept looking on the website for any updates but there was nothing.”
The M.E.N. has contacted PIA for a comment.