Forty officers were deployed to Stockport town centre and Edgeley on Wednesday 22 November as part of "a dedicated operation to tackle retail crime and ASB". 

Five people were arrested on suspicion of several offences on the day; possession of an offensive weapon, recall to prison, attempting to sell counterfeit goods, and a previous assault on a police officer. 

In addition, a car suspected of being involved in criminal activity was seized, as were £11,000 of illegal vapes in conjunction with Trading Standards. 

So far this year, as part of similar days of action across Greater Manchester, there have been 36 arrests and 103 charges issued.  

In Stockport alone, there has been a 28% decrease in burglaries in the past 12 months, and the number solved has doubled.

As well as demonstrating a strong visible presence, police also made a number of arrests as part of the day of action (Image - GMP)

Sergeant James Senior, of the Stockport Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, emphasised how a police presence was important in and of itself, irrespective of whether there were any major incidents in the town centre. 

"When I meet with partners and shopkeepers, the main feedback is they want to see more police on the streets", he said.

"In response to that, our staff numbers have increased, and we are far more visible now, and that's what these days of action are all about."

Detective Inspector Michael Jimenez, of the Stockport Neighbourhood Crime Team, said that officers on the streets can also gather valuable information which can be used to build a 'bigger picture' of crime. 

He added: "There is a lot of development happening in Stockport and we need to be ready for that growth and be a couple of steps ahead, which is why we have a dedicated team for burglary, robbery, and vehicle theft.

"We want to make Stockport a fantastic place to live, visit and enjoy a night out, but we don't want people here who will create misery."

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