A man has been jailed for four years after his ‘chop shop’ storing £240k worth of stolen vehicles was found when he mistakenly sold stolen parts to police on eBay.
Officers realised in 2018 that the online account belonging to Asad Mahmood, 31, was distributing parts linked to stolen models.
Police conducted a raid at an address on Pioneer Mill in Milltown, Radcliffe and uncovered a ‘chop shop’ with illegal parts inside worth almost quarter of a million; including engines, seats, and doors.
Officers also attended Mahmood’s home address in Oldham where they discovered a VW Golf rebuilt with stolen car parts and a Citroen van which had gone missing from the Reddish area in summer 2018.
Parts found in the chop shop were stolen between 2018 and 2019 from several areas in the north-west, including Hale, Rochdale, Atherton, Wilmslow, Hull, Blackpool, Stockport, Oldham, Sale, Altrincham, Accrington, Audenshaw, Manchester and Leeds.
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GMP
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mossop, of GMP’s Operation Challenger, said that police had uncovered a “sophisticated set up”.
He added: “Cars are of both great value and sentimental value to some people and we understand that having a car stolen can have a huge impact both financially and emotionally.
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“We constantly monitor the number of burglaries across Greater Manchester and information is continuously gathered and acted upon.
“Teams from across GMP work together to deter, disrupt and ultimately dismantle organised crime groups on a daily basis.”
DCI Mossop also urged residents to exercise caution when leaving their cars.
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“Do not leave your car keys on show or where they can easily be reached when at home, always keep your windows and doors locked and for anyone who has a steering lock, I would encourage you to use it.”
“There are also other ways to help keep your car safe such as investing in a tracking device.”
Anyone with information about car thefts or anyone who believes suspicious activity is taking place at premises’ can call 101 or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
News
Police confirm man was arrested ‘on suspicion of making an explosive device’ in Gay Village
Daisy Jackson
Police have confirmed that the man who was detained in the midst of an incident in the Gay Village yesterday was arrested on suspicion of making an ‘explosive device’.
A huge cordon was in place in the Canal Street area in the city centre on Monday 11 May, after members of the public reported a ‘chemical smell’ coming from a hotel at around 10.45am.
Emergency services attended the scene and found chemical substances in a hotel room.
The man, who was believed to be the occupant of the hotel room, was detained at the scene.
Greater Manchester Police have since confirmed that he was ‘detained on suspicion of making an explosive device’ and was taken into custody for questioning.
In an update shared yesterday, they wrote: “The response to the incident on Canal Street in Manchester city centre is being reduced following reports of chemical substances being found.
“Emergency services examined items within a room inside a hotel following calls from the public at about 10:45am.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, was detained on suspicion of making an explosive device and is currently in custody being questioned.
“Chemical substances found in the room have been examined and are in the process of being safely removed. The subsequent examination ruled out any explosive risk.
“We are working with the hotel management to return the establishment to normal after staff and guests were evacuated as a precaution.
“Staff from the fire service’s Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection team remain in attendance to conduct tests and ensure the area is safe.
“We would like to thank the public and surrounding businesses for their patience as we continue with our work.”
No trams to run on major Greater Manchester line for two weeks as part of £150m improvement works
Emily Sergeant
Major disruption is on the horizon, as no trams are set to run on a major Greater Manchester line for two weeks this month.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way this month, essential track replacement work is set to be be carried out in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
Due to improvement works on the Oldham-Rochdale line – which is being carried out between Monsall and Newton Heath & Moston – there will be no trams between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale town centre for two weeks, starting from this Saturday 16 May right through to Friday 29 May.
The work being carried out will involve replacing sections of track and improving drainage along the route.
The track foundation will also be replaced where needed, as well as work to correct the alignment and level of the track.
No trams will be running on a major Greater Manchester line for two weeks from this weekend / Credit: TfGM
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has conceded that this is a ‘big and complex job’ – with 290 new concrete sleepers and 2,000 tonnes of pea gravel being used, and more than 5,000 tonnes of ballast set to be replaced.
But, when the work is done, it’s aiming to make journeys ‘smoother and more reliable’ for passengers, while improving the condition of the track for the long-term.
While the work is being carried out and the line is closed, bus replacement services will be in place between Victoria and Rochdale Town Centre, and more frequent Bee Network bus services will also call at the bus stops near each tram stop too, however tram tickets will only be accepted on the replacement bus, not on numbered bus services.
Elsewhere, work at Derker will also take place at the same to ‘minimise disruption’.
The track was made safe following a landslip in summer 2024, but now, a longer-term solution will see teams drive steel sheets into the ground to hold it in place and prevent further movement, before further work will be needed later in the year to complete the job.
And to top it off, from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May, improvement work to update equipment that has been in place since the line opened in 1992 will also take place at Piccadilly Gardens, and that means no trams will run between St Peter’s Square/Market Street and Piccadilly during this time.
Customers may need to change trams, take a short walk, or hop on the free bus to continue their journey.
Tram services will resume as normal from the start of service on Saturday 30 May, and passengers travelling during this period are urged to ‘plan ahead’.
Everything you need to know about the planned works is on the TfGM website here.
The Manc -
10th February 2021 
