Greater Manchester Police and Salford City Council have taken to the streets of Salford to speak to local residents and retailers affected by last week’s disturbances. One week after the riots, Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan and Cllr. Peter Connor from Salford City Council visited Salford Precinct to meet with local residents and businesses.
GMP’s ‘Shop a Looter’ campaign was launched on 12 August, and has already led to a number of arrests. Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “The ‘Shop a Looter’ campaign has already helped us to make 256 arrests and 166 charges in connection with the terrible scenes last week.<br><br>“However, we continue to rely on the support from the public. Within five minutes of the van being at the precinct here today one of the suspects was recognised by his father who reported him to a nearby police station immediately.<br><br>“Our message to those responsible for or involved in the disorder last week is that we are coming for you, so why wait for the inevitable knock on the door?”<br><br>The council’s business support team is now working with local businesses to help them get the support that they need to move on from the disorder. They will be visiting individual businesses to advise them on the support available. Affected businesses will also receive business rate relief, as they work to get their businesses back to normal service. <br><br>Cllr Peter Connor from Salford City Council, said: “Ever since the riots hit Salford, we’ve had our business support team out working with local traders to get them back on their feet. In Salford, many of our shops affected are small, independent businesses who don’t have the support that comes from being part of a national chain. We want to make sure local people get back to the precinct, spending their money and supporting local shops.<br><br>“We will also continue to provide whatever support we can to these businesses, as well as helping the police to catch the criminals responsible for causing this damage. We can’t let these criminals get away with what they’ve done to our city and I would encourage anyone who recognises any of the faces caught on CCTV to shop a looter.”
Mobile advertising vans have been driving round with digital images of those suspected of looting during the disorder. These images have also been projected onto the giant screen Piccadilly Gardens and the Printworks.
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said on the launch day: “We have been inundated with messages of support from people across Greater Manchester who share our commitment to rounding up all those who looted our cities. Anyone with information about disorder and looting is asked to contact the police appeal line on 0800 092 0410 or upload pictures and footage through the official GMP Facebook page or anonymously on gmp.police.uk. ”Images and information about those involved have been flooding into my officers and we want that spirit to continue.
”That is why we have taken the bold step of publishing these people’s pictures right across Greater Manchester. If you know anyone, please tell us who they are and with your help we will find them and lock them up.
”We said earlier this week that if anyone was captured on CCTV we would be coming to get you – and we meant it.
”I would appeal to members of our communities to look at these pictures, tell us who these looters are and we will arrest them.”
Councillor Jim Battle, Manchester City Council’s deputy leader, said: “These are criminal looters who came to Manchester and tried to destroy our city centre. We support the promise that these people will be arrested and brought in front of the courts, but we must do this together and must have the help of real Mancunians who are proud of their city.”
And John Merry CBE, Leader of Salford City Council, said: “We need to show these criminals they won’t win.
”Salford residents have been outraged by what has happened this week and many turned out to help clean up their city.
”What we now need is their help to bring these criminals before the courts. We need to make the thugs who think it is ok to trash their own city understand that their vile actions have consequences.”
