Officers received a report at 3pm on Tuesday (October 23) of a robbery in nearby Salford and Clifton County Park before further reports came in alleging a group of men with machetes on stolen e-bikes were threatening members of the public and stealing other bikes.
Officers were deployed instantly, along with specialist officers and the NPAS helicopter, who later pursued and cornered them on Parkfield Road, Bolton a short time later that afternoon.
Following a search of an address, after items were seen to be disposed of and whilst conducting the arrests, a response vehicle was severely damaged rending it unusable in an attempt to disrupt their duties.
Detectives are continuing to investigate, and enquiries suggest this group are linked to other previous incidents in neighbouring Bury.
Further searches overnight and into today uncovered additional high-powered e-bikes that have been recovered alongside thousands of pounds of cash.
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Superintendent Ian Jones from our Bolton police team said: “This fast-paced incident and response has resulted us in not only detaining a group who were causing havoc but indicates they have been doing this for some time.
“As we look to unpick further what has happened, I would like to thank members of the community who contacted us yesterday with their concerns when seeing them out and about.
“To those who took it upon themselves to vandalise a response car and disrupt our officers’ duties that is beyond unacceptable. That means we now have one less car as part of our fleet to get to other incidents to help our communities in their hour of need.”
If anyone has additional information that may help detectives with their enquiries, they are asked to call 101 in confidence quoting incident 1745 of 24/10/2024. Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Got a story? E-mail me at Leah.collins@newsquest.co.uk
