More than 50 customers had to be rescued by police after locked inside a counterfeit shop infested with rats in Cheetham Hill.
And surprisingly, this isn’t even the first time an incident like this has happened this month.
As part of Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) ongoing ‘Operation Vulcan’ – which is a mission to crackdown on the sale of counterfeit and hit the finances of the gangs operating out of the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas of Manchester – officers were on patrol in the Cheetham Hill area this past Sunday (18 December) when they saw a man in his 60s trying to close the shutters of a premises on Great Ducie Street.
After determining the man was “acting suspiciously”, officers moved to detained him, before they then unlocked the doors of the premises and group of customers ran out.
GMP explained that, once the officers were inside the premises, officers found more members of the public locked inside a further three rooms on the second and third floor, with the number of trapped shoppers eventually totalling more than 50.
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They had been “locked in against their will” when the man had spotted the police, GMP confirmed.
As if that wasn’t bad enough as it is, during an initial search of the premises, officers also found excessive amounts of rat urine and faeces littered across the building – including on the shelves and all over clothing, underwear, and makeup that was being sold at the store.
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Then, in the basement of the premises, officers say they couldn’t see the floor for boxes and bags full of items, and they even found “incredibly dangerous infrastructure” and “signs of exploitative labour” too, such as an underground air conditioning system the staff had made by drilling holes into the pipes on the ceiling.
The Operation Vulcan team began a thorough search of the building, and two days later, they’re just finishing bagging items.
So far, an estimated 27tonnes of replica clothing, shoes, perfumes and make up have been seized.
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Police find more than 50 shoppers locked inside ‘rat-infested counterfeit shop’ in Cheetham Hill / Credit: GMP
“The state of this building was disgusting and so structurally unsafe,” explained Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood.
“My team found members of the public trapped on the top floor with no means of escape, and this isn’t the first time we’ve had to rescue members of the public from these buildings, but I urge people to think twice about entering these shops.
“With our presence increasing, the shop owners are becoming increasingly nervous and quick to lock the doors, no matter who is inside.
“By entering these shops, not only are you putting yourself in danger and at risk of the volatile staff, but you’re funding serious organised crime which is having a devastating impact on the local community.
“These people do not care for your welfare – they’re simply trying to make some quick cash.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Manchester Storm announce return to AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades
Danny Jones
In a huge bit of regional sporting news, Manchester Storm have announced they will be coming home to the AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades away from the iconic venue.
Massive news for Manc ice hockey followers and local sports fans in general.
Revealing the long-awaited return after 24 long years away from the place where Manchester’s native hockey team first began its story, the team, AO figures, and even some fans were part of a special announcement event inside the 20,000-seater stadium this week.
Confirming the news on Monday, 27 April, MCR Storm will be back playing at the AO Arena later this year – just in time for the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
— Manchester Storm | #TakeShelter (@Mcr_Storm) April 27, 2026
As detailed in a full press release from the Greater Manchester club, they are seemingly marking a milestone moment in their next chapter by going back to their roots.
It goes on to read: “Founded back in 1995 as a tenant of the then newly-opened Manchester Arena, the original Manchester Storm quickly became one of British ice hockey’s most iconic teams.
“In their inaugural season, the Storm secured the First Division championship before becoming founding members of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996.”
Coming somewhat full circle more than a generation later (Storm having made it to the play-off finals of the modern Elite Ice Hockey League era this April for the first time in their history), they have made one-off returns to the storied space in recent times.
However, many supporters have been waiting for a fully fledged return for some time now; equally, others are understandably sad to pay a bittersweet goodbye to the ‘Storm Shelter’ over in Altrincham, with the building having already pulled licensing for next year.
They have been at the Planet Ice rink for over a decade now, and the company itself have even issued a lengthy response following the departure – namely noting the issue of communication, clarity and fair notice. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, this felt like a long-overdue comeback.
With an ex-player turned head coach and all-round club legend, Cam Critchlow, having also signed on for another campaign behind the bench, it’s been a busy week in and around the organisation.
Representing the Manchester Storm ownership group, former coach Ryan Finnerty and partner Emma said in a joint statement: “This is a major milestone for our partnership group and a vision we’ve worked towards for some time.
Returning Manchester Storm to the AO Arena is a proud moment for everyone involved. It’s about giving our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and delivering an outstanding live experience.
“Together with our leadership team and Canadian partners, our ambition is clear — not just to compete, but to lead in the Elite Ice Hockey League and beyond. This marks the start of an exciting new era for the club. Manchester Storm is coming home.
“Today marks a hugely exciting and significant moment for both the Manchester Storm and the Elite League”. The EIHL themselves have also celebrated the news, adding that they feel it reflects “the scale and ambition of the league”.
Are you happy to see them setting up shop at the AO Arena once again? Better still, do you remember going there to watch games the first time around? Let us know down in the comments.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd December 2022 
