A 52-year-old man from north Manchester has been arrested after ten women were attacked in a spate of handbag robberies across Manchester, Salford and Bury.
Police say the incidents took place between 24 August and 3 September 2025, with victims targeted while walking alone in public areas.
During several attacks, women were dragged to the ground and wrestled before the suspect fled on foot with handbags. Seven victims were confirmed to have had their belongings stolen.
On Thursday night, 4 September, officers on proactive patrols spotted a man acting suspiciously in Crumpsall. When he attempted to hide beside a parked car before fleeing, police gave chase and detained him. Officers believe he may have been preparing to commit another robbery at the time.
Detective Inspector Natasha Feerick from GMP’s North District Neighbourhood Crime Team said the force recognised the distress caused by the robberies.
“These are serious offences, and we take reports incredibly seriously. It is of the utmost importance that people can feel safe in their local areas,” she said.
“We want to thank the victims for reporting these incidents to us and we’re working to get justice for them. Once we understood there was a pattern to these crimes, our officers went on proactive patrols to actively seek this person. By doing so, it helped us catch this suspect when it looked like he was out to commit yet another offence.”
No victims required hospital treatment, though police said they were “understandably shaken up”. Officers are continuing their investigation.
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