Police swoops cut crime by half

The operation, codenamed Sahara, saw officers swoop on known offenders in the Tonge Moor, Bradshaw and Breightmet areas in a four-day campaign last week.

Since the arrests, rates of vehicle crime and house burglaries have dropped by more than 50 per cent, said police. A number of the suspects have been remanded in custody.

Insp Tony Kenyon, the area's new commander, vowed today that more raids would take place to target the small number of offenders responsible for high crime rates.

"I want to make the public aware that we are determined to tackle this small group of persistent offenders who are responsible for most of the crime and anti-social behaviour in the area," he said.

The crackdown saw plain clothes officers deployed in areas where car crime and burglaries have soared recently. In total, 47 people were stopped and searched during the campaign.

Insp Kenyon said the success of the operation was largely due to information passed on by the public to new community beat officers patrolling the area.

"I want to thank people who have already come forward with information which has helped us," he said.

"I would like to encourage anyone with information about crime or anti-social behaviour to contact us. Information is vital to the success of operations like these.

"They are part of an ongoing strategy to reduce crime rates and anti-social behaviour in the area and will be repeated again in the future."

Operation Sahara also saw police target youths responsible for anti-social behaviour in the Thicketford Road area.

Several have been identified from video footage. Parents would be visited and the youths given Acceptable Behaviour Contracts.

Despite the success in catching burglary suspects, Insp Kenyon said it was vital homeowners remained vigilant. "That means locking doors and windows and making sure handbags, keys and valuables are left well out of view in the home or in the car," he said.