Eight men arrested as Wigan 'chop shop' discovery leads to large police investigation

Police detained the men on Tuesday morning as part of Operation Norma, which was launched after the theft of more than 70 vehicles since October last year.

Five men, aged 25, 26, 36, 36 and 46, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Three men, aged 19, 30 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) serious and organised crime group started the investigation after a report of a Mercedes being stolen from Manchester city centre on October 12, 2019.

Officers found the vehicle and discovered what was believed to be a "chop shop" on Poolstock Lane in Wigan.

Following extensive inquiries, a number of vehicles have been recovered as part of the operation, with some seized in containers due to be shipped abroad.

A number of suspected chop shops were subsequently raided in Chadderton, Oldham and Bolton, where approximately 45 stolen vehicles or parts linked to stolen vehicles were discovered.

Detectives also found what they believed to be parts from stolen cars for sale on the internet.

The investigation continues and a number of cars and parts thought to be stolen are currently being sought or undergoing examination.

The warrants were part of GMP's Operation Dynamo, a force-wide scheme which aims to crack down on offenders who are stealing cars in burglaries and robberies to be sold on or used to commit violent crimes.

Det Insp Roger Smethurst, from GMP's serious and organised crime group, said: "These arrests have been the result of long, hard work into a sophisticated large-scale stolen cars operation and they are a huge step in our aim to reduce car thefts across Greater Manchester.

"I would like to reassure the public that GMP remain committed to tackling burglary and targeting those responsible of stealing cars. A lot of the work GMP do to tackle the issue may not be visible but catching those responsible remains a force priority.

"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.

"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.

"Officers from GMP's tactical vehicle intercept unit, along with other teams use both covert and marked cars, as well as ANPR technology, to catch who we believed to be burglars and robbers in cars thought to be stolen.

"Stolen cars is a national issue and we continuously work with colleagues across the UK to tackle the problem and there are a number of investigations and lines of enquiry on-going.

"We will continue to work to bring offenders to justice, but I would ask that residents help us to help them by following our simple advice - 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."

Bev Hughes, deputy mayor of Greater Manchester for policing, crime, criminal justice and fire, said: “These arrests are a result of painstaking hard work carried out by frontline police officers, who have dedicated hours to investigating car thefts in the city-region and I want to thank them for their determination and success in seeing this through. It’s been a long, complex operation that has caused untold distress and hardship to our citizens, and the officers deserve our praise and recognition.

“We are committed in Greater Manchester to tackling all forms of serious and organised crime through Programme Challenger. By tackling these problems as a partnership, as well as working with local authorities and communities, we can effectively deal with the harm caused by organised crime.“I urge victims of car thefts to continue to report such crimes, as it will help officers inform their overall intelligence and continue to drive operations like these.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here