Man responsible for several robberies on ‘vulnerable’ people in Manchester city centre arrested

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A man who police believe is responsible for several robberies against ‘vulnerable’ people in Manchester city centre has been arrested.

Following a number of shocking reports from members of the public, officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) dedicated ‘Operation Vulcan’ team were deployed to Piccadilly Gardens one afternoon earlier this week (11 June) in a bid to track down the man believed to be responsible for “several robberies” against vulnerable people in Manchester city centre.

Officers’ deployment to the city centre greenspace comes after police received a report on Saturday 1 June that a sleeping homeless man was punched in the face and then had his phone stolen.

Not long after this, another report was received last Thursday (6 June) explaining that an elderly man had a cup of hot coffee thrown over him, before was then pushed to the ground, and, yet again, had his phone stolen.

A man responsible for several robberies on ‘vulnerable’ people in Manchester city centre has been arrested / Credit: GMP

Police subsequently launched an investigation into the reports “immediately” – with specialist ‘Operation Vulcan’ detectives assigned to the task

Patrols were also “ramped up” in the area to help identify the suspect, GMP explained.

And thanks to all the efforts of everyone involved, a 37-year-old man was successfully arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of two counts of robbery, going equipped to steal, and the possession of class A drugs, as well as police managing to recover bolt cutters and several snap bags of drugs at the same time.

Detective Sergeant Matt Donnelly, from GMP’s ‘Operation Vulcan’ team, said he hopes this arrest “sends a clear message” that police will investigate this kind of crime “thoroughly” to ensure those responsible “face the consequences of their actions”.

“Incidents like this can have a long-lasting negative impact on the lives of those who fall victim to it,” DS Donnelly continued.

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“We will continue to use all resources available to protect victims of crime, pursue offenders, and ensure Piccadilly Gardens continues to be a safe and attractive place to visit in the heart of our city.”

Featured Image – GMP