Five arrests after police raid suspected Rochdale chop shop in crackdown on stolen vans

A suspected organised crime group is being linked to more than 40 vehicle thefts across Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, following a series of police raids carried out today that resulted in five arrests.

Police in Rochdale have arrested five men today, Thursday, 10 July, following a coordinated operation targeting the theft and dismantling of Ford Transit vans across the region.

The suspects are believed to be part of a wider group involved in the theft of commercial vehicles, many of which are later stripped for parts in so-called “chop shops” before the components are sold online.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Norway, has been developed by Rochdale’s policing team over several months, after a rising number of Transit van thefts were reported across the division.

Detective Sergeant John Dineen, who is leading the investigation, said to Roch Valley Radio during an interview this morning: “The group are all known thieves who’ve been arrested previously. Their actions allowed us to build a wider intelligence picture linking them to an organised crime group.

“They’re suspected of stealing commercial vehicles, predominantly Ford Transit vans, and the intelligence suggests these are then stripped down and sold online.”

Nine search warrants were carried out this morning on offenders living in Rochdale, resulting in the discovery of a suspected chop shop in Oldham, as well as the arrests of five men on suspicion of vehicle theft. Police say additional suspects have been identified and further arrests are expected.

The number of offences believed to be linked to the group currently stands at more than 40, with officers continuing to assess the full scale of the operation. DS Dineen estimates the minimum total value of stolen vehicles and tools to be more than £500,000.

“There’s one victim whose van was worth £6,000 and had £15,000 worth of tools inside. Some people are being left without the means to work. It’s not just about the van, it’s about the financial hit and impact on people’s lives,” he said.

Police believe the stolen vehicles and contents are being dismantled and sold via various online marketplaces. Some stolen goods have also been found in pawn shops and car boot sales.

While many of the vans stolen are white and unbranded, DS Dineen said vehicles with company branding have also been targeted. He confirmed that some thefts appear to have taken place outside homes overnight, rather than in public car parks or business premises in well-lit spaces.

Operation Norway was established after officers noticed a number of vehicle shells being recovered in Rochdale, suggesting the town was being used as a base for dismantling stolen vans. A number of the suspects are believed to be based locally, although the operation is understood to extend into other parts of Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.

DS Dineen said: “Vehicle theft is a huge issue across the district and a key priority for us in Rochdale. This operation was built on intelligence from the community, and taking out these offenders will help make Rochdale a safer place to live and work.”

He also stressed the role of neighbourhood officers in identifying and reporting suspicious activity, saying: “This work wouldn’t have been possible without the neighbourhood teams feeding information back to us, whether it’s a van being stripped on someone’s drive or an engine being moved in suspicious circumstances.”

Some stolen items recovered during the operation included tools, engines and partially dismantled vehicles. In one case, a stolen van was being used as a makeshift storage unit for other stolen items.

GMP Rochdale are continuing its enquiries and is working with West Yorkshire Police and Greater Manchester’s intelligence branch to trace other suspects. It is hoped that the arrests made today will lead to a noticeable drop in van thefts in the borough.