Police target homes in crime crackdown
Raids uncover drugs, pick axe and a zombie knife
POLICE carried out early morning raids on Thursday in an operation to target a town’s criminals.
Homes in Dumbarton Drive and Queen’s Park Road in Heywood were targeted after intelligence on drug dealing and burglaries was received in recent weeks.
At Queen’s Park Road, one man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs, with one woman in her 20s arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
A quantity of cannabis with a street value of several hundred pounds and suspected cocaine was discovered during a search.
A zombie knife, a pick axe and designer clothing were also seized.
Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, officers maintained a presence in the community, visiting anti-social behaviour hotspots and providing high-visibility patrols.
The 7am raids were part of Operation Challenger, run across Greater Manchester to tackle serious and organised crime, working closely with neighbourhood teams to tackle issues that trickle down from organised crime groups.
Knife sweeps of ginnels and roads were conducted by PCSOS, who also supported other activities in the day.
By checking bushes and undergrowth - where some people may hide bladed articles - officers can ensure dangerous weapons are kept out of circulation.
Further work during the day included visits to businesses under Operation Vigilant, involving a team of specialist police officers and social workers. The operation is intelligence led and sees the partnerships carrying out visits to protect young people from all types of exploitation.
Sergeant Matthew Honey, from GMP’S Heywood Neighbourhood Team, said: “When we receive reports of crime, we investigate, attend, arrest and prosecute where appropriate.
“Ultimately, that is what people in the community want and that is exactly what we set out to deliver.
“In recent weeks, we have had reports of various strands of crime, including anti-social behaviour, burglaries, drug-dealing, and more. This day of action is to act as a reminder that we are here and will never tolerate crime that affects lawabiding citizens of Heywood.
“The work additionally acts as disruption, letting those suspected of being involved in criminality know that they can expect a knock on the door if we hear they are involved in illegal activity.
“We will utilise specialist resources where needed including Challenger teams, who are always more than willing to join us to tackle crime in Heywood, with the additional officers now based at Heywood this will be a regular occurrence.”
Detective Sergeant Gabe Gibson, of Rochdale’s Challenger Unit, said: “Collaborative efforts within GMP are of paramount importance. Through the exchange of expertise, open dialogue on prevailing issues, and the adoption of shared best practices, we are committed to delivering quality policing services to the residents of Greater Manchester.
“We will always work closely with Heywood’s neighbourhood team and today’s results show the fantastic work we can achieve when we do.
“Challenger takes a robust approach to tackling crime within the community and will continue to do so across every single district. You can report information to police by calling 101, visiting gmp.police.uk, or by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.