Two men have been sentenced to 12 years in prison after a violent robbery in Cheetham Hill, where they made off with £45,000-worth of vapes.
The court heard how the pair had assaulted the driver of a Mercedes Sprint Van with a crowbar, before stealing it and moving the boxes inside into their own car.
Police tracked them down a mere minute’s drive away from the scene of the incident, thanks to the van’s built-in tracker.
Karwan Salar of West Drayton, London and Ribar Karim of Douglas Towers in Bradford were found guilty of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and jailed for 12 years at Manchester Crown Court.
The incident in question occurred on Waterloo Road in Cheetham Hill on Wednesday 11 January this year.
ADVERTISEMENT
Salar, 31, and Karim, 35, had been the driver and passenger of an Audi A5.
They managed to bring the victim’s van to a sudden halt, then Salar exited the vehicle and began to threaten the victim for the keys to the van.
ADVERTISEMENT
The victim was then dragged out and assaulted with a large crowbar – the injuries he sustained to his arm required hospital treatment.
Ribar Karim and Karwan Salar have been jailed for the robbery of vapes in Cheetham Hill. Credit: GMP
He still bravely tried to stop the theft, tackling his assailant, but was eventually overpowered.
Police managed to track down Salar and Karim on Allison Street, where they discovered the van door wide open and the boxes of vapes being moved into the boot of the Audi.
ADVERTISEMENT
Detective Constable Elson, from CID on the North Manchester District, said: “We welcome yesterday’s result, which has seen two violent and dangerous men removed from the streets of Greater Manchester for a considerable amount of time.
“We would like to thank the victim, who, not only bravely tried to defend his property from these thieves but has had the strength to support this prosecution to a satisfactory ending.
“As a Force, Greater Manchester Police are committed to identifying, locating and prosecuting anyone who breaks the law, so this court case and result should serve as a deterrent to anyone who may be thinking of entering a life of crime.
“If you or anyone you know has any information in relation to a crime being planned or undertaken, you can contact GMP via 101 or through the Live Chat function on our website www.gmp.police.uk.
“Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity – Crimestoppers – on 0800 555 111.”
Featured image: Unsplash
News
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Featured Image – Aleksandr Popov (via Unsplash)
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.
Daisy Jackson -
20th July 2023 
