‘You have to be resilient and ready for anything’
M.E.N. GOES ON PATROL WITH COPS HUNTING DOWN CRIMINALS ON GREATER MANCHESTER’S STREETS
“IT’S like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Pc Paul Grange says.
He’s driving through Radcliffe, Bury, on the hunt for a serial burglar.
“We’re clutching at straws because of how widespread it is.”
It’s 6pm and Greater Manchester Police’s divisional Tasking Team is preparing for another night on the streets.
Each week, the group of officers is asked to focus on particular, serious crimes across the borough.
They’re searching for a conman who they believe has been tricking his way into the homes of elderly people.
“I must stress that tackling this spate of recent offending is the biggest priority for Bury police at this moment in time,” the town’s GMP Chief Inspector said last week.
The man, police say, asks his targets if they’ve taken a parcel in for him, before forcing his way past and burgling them.
Police are looking at 12 incidents since the beginning of the year.
They believe the same person is responsible for the crimes – a white man in his 20s.
He’s stolen handbags, purses, electronics and keys. What’s worse is that he targets vulnerable pensioners, some of whom are disabled.
During some raids, he’s closed curtains and locked doors before ransacking homes.
Police say he spends between a minute and 90 seconds inside each property before fleeing the scene.
So far, he’s believed to have targeted 12 elderly people in Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe and Whitefield.
The M.E.N. was given the opportunity to accompany the team on patrol one evening.
We witness the ongoing investigation into the burglar – and some breaking incidents officers responds to during their shift.
Speaking about the home intruder, Pc Grange adds: “We have a dedicated CCTV officer trawling footage. We have to be resilient. You just have to be ready for everything going on.
“They think they’re above the law and they can do what they want.”
We’re in the van – rather than on foot – because of the size of the area the burglar has covered.
Officers show us CCTV footage of a man believed to be the burglar walking down Unsworth Street in Radcliffe at 7.20pm on March 21.
He passes a dog walker before crossing the road onto a nearby playing field. Keen to trace the witness, the team parks up on the same road in the hope of spotting the dog walker on his walk at his usual time.
He does just that, strolling past the van minutes later. The dog walker is able to assist officers by providing more information on the man he saw two nights earlier.
He says he remembers the man crossing the road to get away from him, but thought he might have wanted to ‘self-isolate.’
The description matches the suspect captured on CCTV.
Alongside the Tasking Team, a special policing team has since been set up in a bid to catch the culprit.
Several officers have been drawn in from neighbourhood teams across the borough to help with the investigation.
The last reported incident saw him target an 89-year-old lady at her home on Unsworth Street, Radcliffe, on March 21.
That time, he didn’t pretend to be a delivery driver. Instead, he pushed the woman over as soon as she opened the door.
She sustained no serious injuries, but was taken to hospital as a precaution. The victim was expecting carers to attend her address around the time.
Police say the burglar regularly targets homes with ramps and mobility handrails outside, showing he knows the victims are vulnerable.
During our patrol, police receive several reports of ongoing incidents.
They include a stolen BMW in Prestwich and the theft of a caravan from a company in Radcliffe.
Officers rush to the scene on Eton Hill Road.
On arrival, we find a fence securing the site, which stores hundreds of caravans, has been cut down.
A distressed staff member tells officers the incident was caught on CCTV.
Men could be seen stealing a caravan from the site before speeding off towards Bolton.
The owner tells us despite spending around £15,000 on security, his company is continuously targeted by thieves.
It’s tough juggling the ongoing investigation into the burglar while responding to breaking incidents, but the team works quickly.
Speaking about the serial thief, Chief Inspector Mike Brennan, from GMP’s Bury division, previously told the M.E.N.: “Things like this stand out because of who they are targeting.
“He’s actively targeting the elderly and vulnerable.
“Because he is specifically targeting elderly people and the description, it’s leading us to believe it’s the same individual. We really need to zero in on this person.”
The man, described as being of slim build and around 5ft 6in to 6ft, is said to have a local accent and often wears a hooded top and dark clothing.
He is also known to cover his face.
Chief inspector Brennan added: “He might have knowledge around when carers attend.
“People are trusting, we live in a decent district where we don’t have the chaos of some other places.
“I think people are a lot more trusting here – and he’s utilising that to gain entry.” Police have issued advice to residents to protect themselves. Those with latches or peep holes should use them first before opening their door.
Those without could ask carers or visitors to call them before arriving. Another idea is to give a password to a carer or visitor and ask for it on arrival.
The linked burglaries reported across Bury are:
■ 25/01: Westminster Avenue, Whitefield
■ 01/02: Halvard Court, Bury
■ 14/02: Sefton Street, Whitefield
■ 20/02: Halvard Court, Bury (different to 01/02)
■ 24/02: Smyrna Walk, Radcliffe
■ 24/02: Elms Close, Whitefield (one hour later)
■ 26/02: Walmsersley Road, Bury
■ 28/02: Ostrich Lane, Prestwich
■ 04/03: Lowercroft Road, Bury
■ 09/03: Brierley Avenue, Whitefield
■ 13/03: Shakespeare Avenue,
Radcliffe
■ 21/03: Unsworth Street, Radcliffe
Anyone with any information is asked to call 101; or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
We witness the ongoing investigation into a serial burglar – an breaking incidents officers respond to Paige Oldfield