Key Takeaways
- Nineteen people have been arrested in Manchester’s city centre as part of a crackdown on crime in the run-up to Christmas
- The arrests include suspects held for possession of drugs with intent to supply, dangerous driving, and breach of bail conditions
- Seven e-bikes and scooters have been seized, and six traffic offence reports issued
- Operation North Star aims to curb city centre crime, including shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women
- The operation will continue across the weekend, with high-visibility neighbourhood teams and response units on-hand to tackle criminality and support concerns
Introduction to Operation North Star
Police in Manchester have made nineteen arrests in the city centre as part of a bid to curb crime in the run-up to Christmas. The arrests were made as part of Operation North Star, which aims to crack down on shoplifters, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women. Both uniformed and plain clothes officers have been deployed in the city centre, which is expected to be busy with shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas. The operation is part of a wider effort to keep communities safe ahead of the festive period, with high-visibility neighbourhood teams and response units on-hand to tackle criminality and support any concerns.
Arrests and Seizures
The nineteen arrests include suspects held for possession of drugs with intent to supply, dangerous driving, and breach of bail conditions. Seven e-bikes and scooters have been seized, and six traffic offence reports issued. Six of the arrests were made as a direct result of the live-facial recognition van, which was stationed in Piccadilly Gardens and allows officers to intervene before suspects can commit further offences. This technology has been instrumental in reducing the risk to the public, and has resulted in a number of arrests and seizures. The operation has also seen two people arrested for failing to stop and dangerous driving, highlighting the focus on tackling illegally modified bikes and dangerous driving in the city centre.
Continuation of the Operation
The operation will continue across the weekend, with officers looking to keep communities safe ahead of the festive period. GMP lead for Local Policing Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: "We’ve put robust plans in place with our partners to ensure everyone feels safe. Our communities will see high-visibility neighbourhood teams and response units across the weekend who will be on-hand to tackle criminality and support any concerns they may have." The operation is part of a comprehensive policing effort, which will continue throughout December and January across all 10 force districts. This effort has already seen positive results, with anti-social behaviour down by 14 percent, retail crime down by 12.5 percent, and stop search up 75 percent compared to this time last year.
Technology and Partnerships
The operation is being supported by plain-clothes patrols and technology, including live facial recognition vans and CCTV. The use of this technology has been key in identifying and apprehending suspects, and has resulted in a number of arrests and seizures. The operation is also being supported by partnerships with other agencies, including the Home Office and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. These partnerships are crucial in ensuring that the operation is effective and that communities are kept safe. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Vision Zero strategy, which aims to eliminate road death and life-changing injury by 2040, is also being supported by the operation, with officers working to tackle drink and drug driving as part of Operation Limit.
Message to Potential Offenders
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle had a clear message for anyone thinking of coming into the town centres to commit crime: "Think twice. We have more than enough officers on duty, and we will take positive action." The operation is not just about enforcing the law, but also about supporting communities and keeping people safe. Officers will be on-hand to tackle criminality and support any concerns, and will be intervening if they see anything of concern. The message is clear: the police are committed to keeping communities safe, and will take all necessary action to achieve this goal. With the operation set to continue across the weekend, it is likely that further arrests and seizures will be made, and that the city centre will remain a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.