Breakthrough in crackdown on car crime
Teenager is put behind bars for a string of offences after around 30 vehicles were broken into or damaged
POLICE have made a big breakthrough in their battle against escalating car crime - with a teenager behind bars for a string of offences.
This year has seen residents in the Hall Street area of Offerton report a large increase in vehicles being broken into.
At its height at least 10 were targeted in little over a week on just a few roads and at the end of April a vandal went on a wrecking spree where he kicked wing mirrors off 20 cars. Now a police crackdown has led to two arrests.
POLICE hope to have made a big breakthrough in their battle against escalating car crime - with a teenager behind bars for a string of offences.
This year has seen residents in the Hall Street area of Offerton report a large increase in vehicles being broken into.
At its height at least 10 were targeted in little over a week on just a few roads including Forbes Road, Forbes Close and Victoria Road
And at the end of April a vandal went on a wrecking spree where he kicked wing mirrors off 20 cars, largely on Turncroft Lane.
But in response to calls for action from residents police stepped up their presence in the area and in the early hours of Thursday arrested two men.
The teenager, from Longsight, appeared at Stockport Magistrates Court on June 8 to admit seven counts of theft, two of assault and one of beaching a conditional discharge.
He was given eight weeks’ detention in a young offenders institution.
Sergeant Phil Lowe, from GMP’s central Stockport team, said: “We came in specifically on a vehicle crime operation around Hall Street. We made a very, very significant arrest. The team are down there and we are working. Hopefully it will have a really big impact on crime figures.
“Thieving from our community will not be tolerated and if you do, we will come down on you with the full force of the law and you will be apprehended.”
Ongoing problems have also led residents to ask the council to take action.
Last week a petition was submitted asking to have the passageway between Forbes Road and Turncroft Lane closed off.
This is thought to offer good cover and potential escape for thieves.
Among those to have had her car broken into is Racheal Stott, 28, who said: “They had taken some items but I think they must have been disturbed as others had been left.
“Now if I hear anything during the night I have to look out of the window to check, I can’t sleep properly at the moment.”
And Donna Whittington, 30, had the wing mirror kicked off her car.
“There’s just no need or reason for it. Offerton is a hotspot for car crime, people are very angry.”
A 38-year-old man will appear at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court on July 6 having pleaded not guilty to one charge of burglary.