Hale Independent Issue 178

MAY 2025 4 took samples from it. I later found out that it came back as a DNA hit and finding this out was a brilliant feeling – it is why we do the job.” Detective Superintendent Alicia Smith who is the new force lead for Operation Cas- tle, said: “Progress is being made, and it is down to each and every officer and mem- ber of police staff who always strive to get the best possi- ble outcome for the victim by focussing on the basics, attending burglaries, mak- ing more arrests and bring- ing more offenders to justice and the result of this is that we are reducing burglaries in the longer term. “We recognise that bur- glary is one of the most impactful and intrusive crimes someone can be a vic- tim of, it is an attack on you, your home and your place of safety. “Not only are we investi- gating more thoroughly now under Operation Castle but there is a real emphasis on prevention measures such as community education and ensuring that we have highly-visible and also plain clothed regular patrols con- tinue to keep people safe. “We work closely with partner agencies to proac- tively solve burglaries, but we know there is still a lot of work that we need to do, and we know we cannot get complacent, we are looking for more innovative ways to combat this type of crime in Greater Manchester. “We have dedicated teams across the force who are crack- ing down on those people who are targeting innocent people and homes in Greater Man- chester and our force wide work continues in the hope we can reduce the number of burglaries even further. “We encourage anyone with information about bur- glaries in your area to report it to police - your information could be vital in enhancing our intelligence picture and shaping patrol plans as well as assisting us in bring- ing those offenders who are blighting communities to justice.” SPRING has sprung and the rare breed farm at Tatton Park is eagerly awaiting the arrival of furry foals, cute calves, perfect piglets, cheep- ing chicks and leap- ing lambs. This year’s new arrivals, expected during the popu- lar Cheshire attraction’s Lambing Week, include a set of quads. They are among the bumper bundle of 46 new lambs expected, which also include 10 twins and seven triplets. Farm assistant Elly Edwards said: “My favour- ite thing about lambing is the excitement and the sense of privilege that comes with welcoming new life. “I love the smell of new- born lambs and the sat- isfaction you get from seeing happy, healthy lambs skipping about the lamb- ing pens. “It’s one of the hardest times of year on the farm because of the sleepless nights… we don’t let the ewes gomore than four hours without checking on them even through the night. But it’s the most rewarding.” The anticipation is also rising as staff eagerly await the arrival of Tabitha the Shire horse mare’s third foal next month, the first on the farm for eight years. Over in the pig pen, Bon- nie and Susie, the farm’s Large White sows, are both due a litter of piglets. The new arrivals won’t stop there. Gracie the Guernsey cow, Jasmine the Jersey/Norwegian Red, and Hetty the Hereford cross are all expecting a calf, with four more due from the farm’s Red Poll cattle. SPECIAL REPORT Burglars feel the full force of the law Springing into life! THE rate of burglaries across Greater Manches- ter has plummeted fol- lowing a new operation by police. New figures reveal that burglary across the region is down more than 33 per cent, which means there are 456 fewer victims of the crime every month. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is heralding the suc- cess of its Operation Cas- tle initiative. It was launched in July 2021 in a bid to improve the way the force dealt with burglaries. As a result, GMP recorded 11,246 burglaries last year, which amounts to 33 per cent fewer than three years ago. A force spokesperson said: “These numbers are not just statistics to us, each number represents a victim that has ultimately suffered at the hands of burglars in Greater ensure prolific offenders are taken from our streets. “We have arrested 2,305 people on suspicion of bur- glary in 2024, which is a 25 per cent increase compared with 2021 and the operation works by using a number of resources across the force. If you are burgled, there are different teams who will be there to support you.” A huge part of the initi- ative is prevention. Fiona James has worked in GMP for more than 40 years in a variety of different roles and is now a Crime Preven- tion Coordinator. Fiona’s team monitor bur- glary hotspots and by looking at the theories behind why crime is committed they can identify what can be put in place to reduce the volume of offending in that area. She said: “Once burglary has happened on a street, those who live close by are more likely to also become a Manchester, and our goal is to reduce this even more. “It has been almost four years since the creation of Operation Castle, and the initiative continues to see positive results for the communities in Greater Manchester and through arresting more burglars and building strong cases to secure convictions we can victim as evidence shows bur- glars often target properties on the same street. “It is so important for us to give out crime preven- tion advice to those people, because simple advice can be so effective at ensuring that household is not burgled, and our work undoubtedly helps make Greater Manches- ter just that little bit safer from burglars.” Call handlers based in the Force’s Contact, Crime and Operations Branch are the first point of contact a victim will have with GMP. The spokesperson said: “Their role is imperative in keeping people calm and safe whilst finding out a location to send police officers, and this is no different for a burglary.” Once response officers have attended a burglary, Crime Scene Investigators are also committed to attending every residential burglary to help gather evidence. Their role is important to ensure that investigating officers have the best possible evidence left behind by an offender to progress the case. Hayley Craig, one of GMP’s Crime Scene Investigators, said: “We attend burglaries to collect evidence, and recently, I went to a burglary and when I walked in the whole house had been completely ran- sacked and a large amount of jewellery was taken. “From searching the home, I saw some glove marks on the top-floor window and Arrest: Police exercise a warrant (Photo credits: GMP) High visibility: Police officers take a community role Contact: A police call handler Forensic approach: A Crime Scene Investigator searching a stolen vehicle