56 suspects rounded up during Operation Hunted

An operation targeting wanted offenders across the county saw 56 suspects locked up for a range of offences over a two-day period.

This past week, officers and staff from local policing units, the Special Constabulary, and specialist departments from across the force concentrated their efforts and combined their expertise to track down people suspected of committing crimes in the county.

A specific list of individuals officers wanted to speak to and deal with was drawn up.

They then had the assistance of specialist units such as the Economic Crime Unit, Roads Policing, and the Serious Organised Crime Unit.

Across the county, shoplifters, burglars and domestic abuse perpetrators were arrested alongside those suspected of firearms offences, criminal damage, serious assaults, aggravated burglary, robbery, rape, and stalking. Four suspects were immediately returned to prison as they had been recalled for breaching prison release conditions.

A 23-year-old man who was wanted in connection with a murder in south Yorkshire was also arrested in Chester.

56 suspects were arrested in total, with a number handing themselves into local police stations after two-days of arrest attempts and the serving of harbouring notices at their known addresses.

Superintendent Sam Billington, who led on the operation, said: 

"There has been some speculation that police are to reduce the number of people arrested, and I hope this operation shows that is simply not the case here in Cheshire.

"I'd like to reassure members of the public that Cheshire Constabulary will not stop arresting those who commit crime, and we will continue to do everything possible to make Cheshire a hostile place for criminals and bring perpetrators to justice, continuing with our commitment to keep the residents of Cheshire safe.

“We went out there furnished with information that would help us track down the suspects and where possible put them before the courts.

“This is something our officers and staff do every day as part of their daily business, but we wanted to highlight that when we identify those who are a priority for us to find, we have the use of specialist departments to help us in our search.

“Teams across the county worked together and successfully located those who are denying victims the justice they deserve. We will continue to work together to prevent crime, locate suspects and keep you safe.”