The streets of Greater Manchester are set to see an increased police presence over the coming weeks of this festive season.
With December only a day away now, and ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ nearing closer and closer, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has issued a statement informing residents and visitors that police patrols will be stepped-up over the busy Christmas and new year period as part of the ongoing ‘Project Servator’.
‘Project Servator’ is a national policing tactic that aims to “disrupt a range of criminal activity” and provide a “reassuring presence” for the public in areas of large footfall.
This means that we’ll be seeing an “increased and visible police presence” on the region’s streets for the next few weeks.
The streets of Greater Manchester are set to see an increased police presence over the coming weeks / Credit: GMP
This police presence will be made up of additional neighbourhood police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), as well as specialist police officers – including plain clothes, and firearms officers.
On top of this, ‘Operation Dasher’ – which is GMP’s own operation for policing the Christmas markets – will also be running in the city centre during the festive period.
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#ProjectServator | Project Servator deployments are being stepped up across Greater Manchester over the busy Christmas and new year period, including the Christmas markets, transport hubs, entertainment venues and the Trafford Centre. pic.twitter.com/aP1IRrpfbJ
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) November 24, 2023
“Christmas and new year are busy times for any city,” explained Sergeant Lee Keefe, who is GMP’s Project Servator co-ordinator, “but Manchester is particularly busy at this time of year because of the Christmas markets, Christmas shoppers, and more people enjoying a night out.”
Sergeant Keefe said the “unpredictable deployments” of both plain-clothes snd uniformed officers as part of ‘Project Servator’ can happen “at any time of the day and night”.
But GMP reassured this is “nothing to be concerned about”.
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GMP has explained why patrols are being stepped-up for the festive period / Credit: GMP
“Project Servator’s deployments are highly visible, but there is nothing to be concerned about if you see one in your area,” Sergeant Keefe continued.
“It’s normal police activity and isn’t linked to any specific intelligence about a threat to the area.
“Officers are experienced and specially trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone is planning or preparing to commit an act of crime, and will also talk to the public and local businesses to let them know what they’re doing and remind them to be vigilant, trust their instincts and report any suspicious or unusual behaviour.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Police appeal after thieves steal 800 barrels of Guinness from HGVs in Cheshire
Emily Sergeant
Police in Cheshire are appealing for information after more than 800 barrels of Guinness were stolen.
Cheshire Police explained that, at around 7:45pm on Monday 31 August, a lorry entered an industrial estate in the Aston Lane area of Runcorn. The lorry is then connected to a HGV trailer containing barrels of Guinness, before leaving the site at 7:55pm and driving in the direction of the Mersey Gateway.
Then, at 9:12pm, a second lorry arrived at the same site in a different lorry and connected it to another trailer containing barrels of Guinness. The lorry left the site at around 9:30pm, in the direction of Rainhill and Watkinson Way.
The estimated total value of all the items stolen is approximately £205,000, police confirmed.
According to police, the trailers are described as white Tri-Axle Curtain side trailers with GXO company branding on curtains and rear doors.
The trailers also have unique ID numbers on their rear doors in the top left corner – with the numbers of stolen trucks being DL736 or DL542.
Both HGVs were believed to have been driven by men. The first man is described as white with a short dark beard and wearing a beanie hat, and the second believed to be wearing a cap.
Officers are now appealing to anyone with any information, or dashcam and video footage taken from around the time of the incident, to come forward.
“It is famously said that ‘Guinness is good for you’, but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for,” commented Detective Sergeant McClatchy, from Cheshire Police.
“It is with this in mind that we have wasted no time in launching enquires to identify those responsible for the theft of £115,000 worth Guinness and the two trailers that housed the barrels.
“We will settle for nothing less than the full recovery of all the items stolen.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cheshire Police via its website, or by calling 101 and using incident reference number IML-2408641.
Featured Image – Volker Repke (via Unsplash)
News
Police seize convoy of supercars after reports of dangerous driving on M62 near Rochdale
Emily Sergeant
A convoy of supercars has been seized by police following reports of dangerous driving on the M66 and M62 near Rochdale.
On Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says its dedicated Roads Policing Unit (RPU) were made aware that a group of individuals driving high-powered vehicles – such as Lamborghinis and Mercedes G-Wagons – were ‘driving dangerously’ at speed, weaving across lanes, wheel spinning, and slowing down to speeds of around 17mph on the motorway.
After finding the convoy of vehicles on the M62, police were able to stop two of Lamborghinis as they were coming off the motorway.
Officers then used specialist tactics to bring the remaining vehicles to a stop in Rochdale.
As a result of police intervention, GMP was able to seize five Lamborghinis and a Mercedes G-Wagon under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002, and on top of this, the drivers of the offending vehicles were prosecuted for a number of driving offences.
Police have seized a convoy of supercars after reports of dangerous driving on the M62 near Rochdale / Credit: GMP | Wikimedia Commons
Chief Inspector Danny Kabal, from GMP’s Transport Policing and Crime command, said the force takes road safety ‘very seriously’.
“We will not tolerate careless, inconsiderate, anti-social or dangerous driving on our roads,” he began.
“Recent changes to Section 59 of the Police Reform Act now enables us to seize vehicles without having to issue a warning first. As we intensify our road safety operations and enforcement campaigns, we will use this legislative change as part of our daily business.
“People who think it is acceptable to use our roads as a racetrack need to pay attention to this result and take it as a warning – they will have their vehicles seized and they will be prosecuted, and where proportionate to do so, they will also be arrested.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th November 2023 
