Arrests made as police clamp down on organised vehicle crime in Oldham and North Manchester

Four people have been arrested following dawn raids at three residential addresses and a storage unit in a clampdown on organised vehicle crime in Oldham and North Manchester.

Officers from GMP's Force Intelligence Branch (FIB) alongside the Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) carried out raids this morning (Wed, November 4). 

Following the warrants at Middleton Road in Oldham, St Augustine Street, Foynes Close and Kingsbridge Road in Harpurhey, two men in their 30s, another man in his 40s and a female in her 30s, were arrested for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and conspiracy to handle stolen motor vehicles. 

They all remain in custody for questioning. 

These warrants came off the back of the work done by GMP's FIB, who identified this organised crime group who have been engaging in the trafficking and exportation of stolen vehicles across the United Kingdom. It is believed that the vehicles that they have been stealing have been exported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. 

Seven international shipments have been successfully intercepted, and police have already recovered 19 stolen vehicles which are suspected to be linked to this crime group, totalling almost £600,000. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, who heads up the Force Intelligence Branch said: “Organised vehicle criminals often think they can operate in the shadows, stealing cars for profit and shipping them thousands of miles away beyond the reach of law enforcement. 

“This type of crime is a national threat, stolen vehicles present significant dangers on our roads, they destroy lives and they are incompatible with our mission to keep the public safe. 

“Today's arrests demonstrate that we are identifying those responsible, dismantling their networks, and relentlessly pursuing anyone involved in this criminality. 

"Every stolen vehicle has a victim behind it. A family unable to get their children to school, a worker unable to earn a living, a business disrupted. The offenders we targeted today see cars as a commodity, but we see the victims behind them. 

"Six years ago, more than 8,000 vehicles were stolen across Greater Manchester. Through targeted enforcement, intelligence-led investigations and partnership working, we have driven that figure down by almost 40 per cent over the last five years, with around 5,000 vehicles now being stolen annually. While that progress is significant, we know there is still more work to do. 

"The individuals involved in organised vehicle crime often believe they are one step ahead, but we will continue to use every tactic available to identify offenders and recover stolen vehicles. 

“If you choose to profit from crime in Greater Manchester, you should expect an early wake up call, like these four individuals had this morning.”