A special team of police officers has been assigned to catch a serial burglar targeting the elderly in Greater Manchester.
GMP believe the same person is behind incidents in the Radcliffe, Whitefield and Bury areas in which a thief pretends to be a delivery driver before forcing his way into properties.
12 burglaries have occurred since January at the premises of vulnerable people.
According to police, the suspect knocks on doors and asks about a parcel, before abruptly entering and taking valuable items.
One 89-year-old woman was apparently knocked to the ground in the latest burglary, which took place on Sunday evening (March 21).
The suspect is described as a slim, white male in his twenties, standing at 5.6ft – 6ft tall.
Chief Inspector Mike Brennan of GMP’s Bury Division told the MEN that the burglar was targeting elderly and vulnerable people.
The CI stated: “[The suspect] might have knowledge around when carers attend.
“I think people are a lot more trusting here, and he’s utilising that to gain entry.”
Police are advising residents to use peep holes before opening their doors, with carers/visitors urged to ring ahead before arriving.
The total number of linked burglaries reported across Bury so far are:
25/01: Westminster Avenue, Whitefield
01/02: Halvard Court, Bury
14/02: Sefton Street, Whitefield
20/02: Halvard Court, Bury (different to 01/02)
24/02: Smyrna Walk, Radcliffe
24/02: Elms Close, Whitefield (an hour later)
26/02: Walmsersley Road, Bury
28/02: Ostrich Lane, Prestwich
04/03: Lowercroft Road, Bury
09/03: Brierley Avenue, Whitefield138254603774
13/03: Shakespeare Avenue, Radcliffe
21/03: Unsworth Street, Radcliffe
Anyone with any information is urged to contact GMP by using the non-emergency number 101, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured image: Westminster Avenue in Whitefield – one of the streets on which a burglary occurred.
News
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Council publishes list of central Manchester roads set to be resurfaced this summer
Emily Sergeant
A list of roads in Manchester that are set to be resurfaced before the summer is out has been published.
Manchester City Council recently asked residents in the region what their priorities were for their community and what issues they wanted to see tackled – and for many, the answer was the quality of the road surfaces.
Since then, the Council says it has been ‘engaged’ in a long-running programme of improvement works throughout the borough.
Now, with just over a month of the summer season left, it has been confirmed that some vital resurfacing works are due to start over the coming weeks in north and central Manchester, bringing a range of improvements to key district roads along with it.
First up, from Saturday 9 August, Hollinwood Avenue is to be resurfaced.
The Council has published a list of Manchester roads that are set to be resurfaced this summer / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
Anticipated to take six weeks to complete, this work will be carried out during weekend closures from 8am-5pm, with the road remaining open during the working week.
The closure area will be between Greengates Roundabout and the Oldham boundary at Owler Lane, and a signed diversion route will be in place while work is carried out, and access for residents will be maintained at all times.
Then, starting from Saturday 16 August, resurfacing works will begin on Moss Lane East, between Alexandra Road and Princess Road.
Work will take place between 7am and 5pm on weekdays, and 8am and 5pm on weekends, and during the works, the road will be completely closed – with a signed diversion route in place and access for residents maintained.
As always, disruption is expected and the public is encouraged to plan ahead / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
These works are expected to take six weeks to complete, and as with all resurfacing projects, residents should expect some disruption and may need to plan ahead.
The Council is aiming to keep disruption to the public at a minimum, where possible.
“We know how important it is to our residents that key roads are well maintained, which is why were glad to be able to deliver this latest round of improvement works,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“I’d like to thank people ahead of time for their patience during the course of these works and would advise them to check when closures will be in place and where the diversions are.”
You can find more information on the resurfacing works on the Council website here.
The Manc -
24th March 2021 
