Police recover emigrating family's car and luggage

At 9.30am this morning (Monday) a family were loading their Land Rover Freelander outside their home on Bolton Road, Aspull, before they set off to Manchester Airport, as they are emigrating to Barbados.

As the woman went back inside the house, she left the keys in the Land Rover. A car pulled up alongside it, someone jumped out and jumped into the Land Rover and drove it away.

Inside the Land Rover was the family’s luggage and also their passports.

Police were alerted and managed to trace the stolen vehicle and the luggage in Strangeways in Manchester. They discovered the Land Rover on Park Street, but it had been emptied of all the family’s luggage.

Enquiries led officers round the corner to Carnarvon Street where they found a woman in a blue car, and all of the family’s possessions.

Officers drove the Land Rover to Manchester Airport where they reunited the family with it and all their possessions.

One woman, aged 36, was arrested on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle and remains in police custody for questioning.

Police Sergeant Andrew Torkington of Greater Manchester Police’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit said: “I am pleased to say that we have been able to reunite the family with their Land Rover and all their possessions, so they can continue with their new life in Barbados.

“This is excellent work by officers in the TVIU and I want to comment them for their quick thinking that led to the Land Rover being recovered.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 or the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.