44 arrests after burglary crackdown

Date published: 26 July 2007

A 10 day crackdown on burglary and drugs offences in Rochdale this month has led to 44 arrests and reduced the number of burglaries by 43 per cent.

As part of Operation Intrepid, officers carried out 24 search warrants across the borough and seized over £10,000 in cash as well as drugs including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and cannabis.

Officers also arrested people on suspicion of offences ranging from armed robbery, theft and criminal damage to indecent assault, vehicle crime and failing to attend court.

Of those arrested, nine have been charged, four cautioned and one reprimanded. The remaining cases are still being dealt with by police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

In another phase of the crackdown, police distributed crime-prevention leaflets and looked for people who had failed to attend regular drug tests and those who were ignoring the on-street drinking ban.

Inspector David Shepherd of Rochdale Police said: "A lot of hard work went into this operation, and it has produced some good results. Issues like drugs and burglary can have a devastating impact on communities, and these arrests show that we’re listening to people’s concerns and acting on them. There will be no let up for criminals in Rochdale, as we will continue to target them through operations like this."

However, police are still reminding people to secure their homes to avoid becoming a victim of burglary, as one in three burglaries in Rochdale are down to doors and windows being left open or unlocked.