Many arrests in anti-social purge

Police have made more than 70 arrests in two weeks in a crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in Stockport.

The summer-long initiative Operation Antidote started on 4 July and police squads are seeking out known offenders and recovering stolen vehicles.

Some 36 officers are split into four teams and positioned in the main hotspot areas across the borough.

Video units are helping gather evidence and a mobile police station ensures a high-visibility presence.

Stop and search

Unannounced visits to off-licences are planned to remind staff of their responsibilities to not sell alcohol and cigarettes to young people.

Officers will also be using stop and search powers and issuing fixed penalty notices where necessary.

Chief Inspector Stuart Barton, from the Stockport Divison of Greater Manchester Police, said: "The main aim of this operation is to improve the quality of life for all residents in Stockport by robustly tackling anti-social behaviour and all crime by actively targeting wanted and prolific offenders

"We plan to make life increasingly difficult for those engaging in criminal activity and as this operation gathers pace in the forthcoming weeks we will be using a variety of different tactics.

"Police community support officers are making house visits to residents who have reported problems in their area to keep them up to date with what police are doing.

"We rely on support and information from the public and it is vital that people report their problems to us so that we can effectively tackle them."

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