Police aim to ruin Christmas for criminals

11:22am Tuesday 18th December 2012 in Local

Police are clamping down on thugs and thieves who should be ringing in the New Year behind bars.

Officers for Greater Manchester Police are taking part in Operation Advent and say they aim to will become a hostile environment for criminals.

Residents will be asked to help do their bit by keeping their valuables safe and their homes secure.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: “This operation is a pre-emptive strike against offenders who may assume that we will sit back over Christmas and allow them on their merry way. The fact is that we plan to ruin their festivities and keep them locked up for Christmas lunch.

“Today is the start of two weeks of action, where criminals will be woken by the dawn chorus of doors cracking to the chime of wham rams across Greater Manchester. All our officers will be picking up the gauntlet with robbery and burglary operations taking place in every town.

“Being a victim of crime is no fun at any time of year but seems particularly distressing at Christmas. One in three burglaries happen because of an open window or door that has made life easy for a criminal to steal property. While we work round the clock to lock these criminals up I ask that everyone plays their part to avoid becoming a victim by keeping their homes and valuables safe, keeping doors and windows locked, alarms and lights on and presents out of view.”

Officers from the tactical aid unit, traffic, ANPR officers, mounted police, dog handlers and special constables will be out supporting each of the divisions on seeking out their most wanted.

An ad-van will be out across Manchester, Bolton and Salford to also name and shame offenders who have no choice but to turn themselves in.

Neighbourhood teams will be linking up with local supermarkets, while people get their ‘big shops’ in before Christmas, to remind families to stay security conscious and look out for one another throughout the holiday period.

Christmas themed ‘Help us to bang up burglars’ material will be handed out to shoppers who will be directed to GMP’s online Christmas advent calendar (www.gmp.police.uk/advent) where they can view 24 gems of crime prevention and safety advice.

ACC Sweeney added: “It’s also important for neighbours to look out for one another and their properties, check on older or vulnerable residents and report it if you have any concerns to your local neighbourhood team or council. From all at GMP we hope you have a safe Christmas and a very Happy New Year.”

Help to bang up burglars by reporting anything suspicious to police on 999 or the non-emergency number 101. If you have any information that you would like to report anonymously you can do so by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Comments (8)

11:34am Tue 18 Dec 12

Bendix says...

Fair enough but it does beg the question why aren't the police doing this all the time and not just for a couple of weeks out of 52. Smells a bit like a PR exercise to me.
Fair enough but it does beg the question why aren't the police doing this all the time and not just for a couple of weeks out of 52. Smells a bit like a PR exercise to me. Bendix

11:59am Tue 18 Dec 12

the big dog says...

They don't bother pulling in the low-level crim any more. First question is 'Are you insured?' after that it's have a crime number and 'A'hll si thi'
They don't bother pulling in the low-level crim any more. First question is 'Are you insured?' after that it's have a crime number and 'A'hll si thi' the big dog

1:55pm Tue 18 Dec 12

John Edwards says...

I agree with above, this should happen all year round. But, and a big BUT, what do the "so called" judges and magistrates do. They tell them to go and be good people or even worse they tell they to do a little bit of unpaid work. Wake up England and get some law back into this forsaken land.
I agree with above, this should happen all year round. But, and a big BUT, what do the "so called" judges and magistrates do. They tell them to go and be good people or even worse they tell they to do a little bit of unpaid work. Wake up England and get some law back into this forsaken land. John Edwards

4:53pm Tue 18 Dec 12

boltonnut says...

I agree with Bendix but to me it smells more like a BS exercise to me.
I agree with Bendix but to me it smells more like a BS exercise to me. boltonnut

5:54pm Tue 18 Dec 12

ThinkTwice says...

Good grief
The number of people who have a pop at Magistrates is amazing and tedious at best. Search on the internet for "Magistrates Sentencing Guidelines" and you'll find the document that Magistrates MUST use when sentencing. They have no choice..... they're hands are tied. Why don't the great British public complain to Parliament .... they're the ones that are telling the Courts not to send people to prison...... so that they can save money. They've just changed the guidance again.....so that they can save money. And while we're at it Bolton Magistrates Court has seven courts BUT only 3 are used these days. Can anyone guess why? .....Do you think that it's the Magistrates themselves that have done that? Do you suspect that they are trying to close the Court down in penny numbers?.... And if they do why do you think they're doing it? To save money perhaps?
Magistrates don't do it for money..... because they don't get paid..... how many of the public know that? I can tell everyone that Magistrates are just as fed up and frustrated by the inability to punish people in a way that they probably deserve because their hands are tied by directives that are calculated to save money. Perhaps that's what people want....... but if it's not or if they don't sentence in a way that the public think they should; don't tell them...... they already know; tell the people who are tying their hands ......the government.
Good grief The number of people who have a pop at Magistrates is amazing and tedious at best. Search on the internet for "Magistrates Sentencing Guidelines" and you'll find the document that Magistrates MUST use when sentencing. They have no choice..... they're hands are tied. Why don't the great British public complain to Parliament .... they're the ones that are telling the Courts not to send people to prison...... so that they can save money. They've just changed the guidance again.....so that they can save money. And while we're at it Bolton Magistrates Court has seven courts BUT only 3 are used these days. Can anyone guess why? .....Do you think that it's the Magistrates themselves that have done that? Do you suspect that they are trying to close the Court down in penny numbers?.... And if they do why do you think they're doing it? To save money perhaps? Magistrates don't do it for money..... because they don't get paid..... how many of the public know that? I can tell everyone that Magistrates are just as fed up and frustrated by the inability to punish people in a way that they probably deserve because their hands are tied by directives that are calculated to save money. Perhaps that's what people want....... but if it's not or if they don't sentence in a way that the public think they should; don't tell them...... they already know; tell the people who are tying their hands ......the government. ThinkTwice

8:15pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Citizen Cane says...

The best way to save money on criminal scum is to reduce standards in prisons dramatically and increase sentencing. Any overspill can be dealt with by big society vigilantes, just like the doctor ordered.
The best way to save money on criminal scum is to reduce standards in prisons dramatically and increase sentencing. Any overspill can be dealt with by big society vigilantes, just like the doctor ordered. Citizen Cane

9:59pm Thu 20 Dec 12

peggysuesue09 says...

I was broken into and robbed at around 6pm sunday evening, every room been through,chidren's toys gone,these burglar's need be caught,we should have more officers walking the street's and also they should be given the power that if they have a name or now of known burglar go and check the residence maybe we would get our property back.......... bring back capital punishment ...... they won't do it again..... and just to add my house was secure but they still got in :-( ,i know have 3 children scared to go to bed and WE now live in a prison and were the innocent one's
I was broken into and robbed at around 6pm sunday evening, every room been through,chidren's toys gone,these burglar's need be caught,we should have more officers walking the street's and also they should be given the power that if they have a name or now of known burglar go and check the residence maybe we would get our property back.......... bring back capital punishment ...... they won't do it again..... and just to add my house was secure but they still got in :-( ,i know have 3 children scared to go to bed and WE now live in a prison and were the innocent one's peggysuesue09

10:00pm Thu 20 Dec 12

peggysuesue09 says...

Citizen Cane wrote:
The best way to save money on criminal scum is to reduce standards in prisons dramatically and increase sentencing. Any overspill can be dealt with by big society vigilantes, just like the doctor ordered.
I totally agree
[quote][p][bold]Citizen Cane[/bold] wrote: The best way to save money on criminal scum is to reduce standards in prisons dramatically and increase sentencing. Any overspill can be dealt with by big society vigilantes, just like the doctor ordered.[/p][/quote]I totally agree peggysuesue09

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