Scrolling through the ‘Ancoats Neighbourhood Watch’ Facebook group makes for grim viewing.
Every day, new photos are posted of smashed-up cars. Some motorists have been burgled, while others have seen thugs stamp on their windscreens, damaging their pride and joy.
It’s left residents ‘s****ing' themselves', with some even suggesting a vigilante effort to curb the crime. However, police officers insist their hard work over the last month has seen the number of break-ins decrease.
In recent years, Ancoats has been lauded as one of the world's coolest neighbourhoods. However, over the last 18 months, tensions over parking and car crime have risen, with the number of social media reports of break-ins intensifying since Christmas.
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Now, with some residents saying the situation has reached a 'critical point', the Manchester Evening News looks at the effect of the car crime spree in Ancoats and New Islington — and what is being done to tackle it.
“Some people are talking about taking justice into their own hands”
Photos on social media show cars with windows smashed, usually parked on roads near to Cutting Room Square and Old Mill Street. However, some people have also reported break-ins at private underground car parks.
The break-ins are typically connected to thefts. But, sometimes, it appears vandals have targeted a car for the sake of it. In early April, six vehicles were stamped on at Pollard Street.
“Whatever is happening is hitting a critical point,” Tomasz Stasiak, who has called the area home for 17 years, said. His car was broken into earlier this year.
“One day I woke up and my car had been entered,” he went on. “I have a pick up truck and they stole a big massive ladder which is crazy and some small tools. It’s not important stuff. It is inconvenient.”
Tomasz says he sees new break-ins every morning when he drives around the area — and that he scale of the problem has prompted some to consider drastic action.
“Some people are talking about taking justice into their own hands,” he said. “I have said that’s not the way. If you get someone red-handed and beat them up, that just means they will leave your car alone — it will still happen.”
Tomasz is far from the only victim. Johnny Black has seen his car broken into four times in 2023 alone — and criminals have used a variety of methods to get access.
“I am baffled,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “The first time, I was going on holiday and I checked it and my work tools were in my rucksack (in the car). (When I got back) there was no sign of my tools but also no sign of a break-in. I thought maybe I left my boot open.
“I got new tools and I had an alarm fitted. I came out one morning for work and my tools were gone. I checked my cameras, and the thieves have a thing that can send a signal through your door to your keys and they can open your car.
“The third and fourth time they smashed it. If they see anything, they will get it. I had a £10 battery charger, they got that.”
The onslaught on Johnny’s car means his partner is ‘s****ing herself’. He added: “What’s it got to take? Someone, to confront them and get hurt?”
Jordan Bradburn has also suffered from multiple break-ins. His vehicle has been attacked three times in three years.
This has led to Jordan having to spend an extra £100 a month for a parking space due to fears of his car getting broken into.
He said: "Obviously the financial effects caused me and my partner a lot of stress. Then on top of that, there’s the fact that we just don’t feel safe, we don’t even take our dog outside the front gate anymore after dark.
"[In the last] two days I have seen four more cars broken into on the local Facebook groups. How the police are just standing by and letting this happen I have no idea.
"[I have] zero confidence in them. I think it’s only a matter of time before people start to take the law into their own hands it’s getting that bad."
Greater Manchester Police told the M.E.N officers regularly patrolled the area and 'work hard to prevent incidents'.
Despite that, some residents report feeling unsafe in the area. “Seeing the aftermath of my car was really upsetting and felt like a real intrusion of my privacy,” Amy Constantine, another car crime victim, said.
“There was nothing on display but they had gone through everything - I’m just glad there was nothing valuable in the car, so nothing was taken. Seeing this, as well as all the other damaged cars, has made me feel much less safe in the area I call home, which is really sad.”
Jen Doyle says she feels like she has lost faith in the police’s ability to deal with it. She says that after her car was keyed, she received a flyer from police on how to make her car less attractive to thugs. She said: "I just think it’s ridiculous nothing is being done when it’s a nightly occurrence.
"All it would take is an undercover officer there a couple of nights and they are bound to catch them. With regards to the flyer on cars - it’s a waste of money and a bit of an insult to suggest the car owners are at fault for leaving their cars 'unsafe”'.
“It’s a hard problem to solve”
At the start of May, voters in Ancoats went to the polls — with the rest of the city — to select a new councillor for their area. Throughout the election campaign, car crime was a feature, with candidates promising to campaign on the issue.
The candidate who came out on top in that race was the Lib Dems' Coun. Chris Northwood, who defeated incumbent Labour man, Majid Dar. As a long-term resident of the ward, she says the issue is a tough nut to crack.
“We have been working with Greater Manchester Police,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “It’s a hard problem to solve, but it’s one we are focusing on.
“It’s a result of greedy landlords charging too much for parking, forcing people to park on the streets which makes it an attractive opportunity for thieves.”
Labour's Coun. Irene Robinson added that she is pushing for 'more patrols' in the area. She explained: “Car crime in the area is a priority for me due to the number of damaged cars over the past months. I've been working with GMP on action days and pushing for more patrols around the times we know these attacks are happening.
"I've recently brought the police to the area and am working towards further action days over the summer to keep the issue a priority. I'm also putting pressure on car parks which aren't protecting residents’ cars as well as they should be.
"The wider issue is parking which is why as a Labour council we're bringing in a parking scheme with the consultation due for later this summer. The aim with the residents parking scheme is to reduce pressure on street parking and ensure people who live in Ancoats can park properly and securely."
The Manchester Evening News requested statistics on car crime in the city of Manchester north area - including Ancoats - GMP and was provided with new data covering April and May.
It reveals that between April 16th and May 14th, 175 acts of car crime were committed in the area. Further data reveals that 127 of the 175 acts were 'theft from a motor vehicle' meaning the perpetrators stole items from inside the vehicle rather than the vehicle itself.
“We have seen a decrease in the number of vehicle break-ins”
Following the concerns raised by residents, and the comments from political representatives, the MEN asked Greater Manchester Police what it is doing to combat the issue. Officers believe their approach is working, with Chief Inspector Paul Nolan, from GMP's City of Manchester division, saying: "Our officers regularly patrol areas where we know vehicle crime occurs and work hard to prevent incidents like this happening.
"In recent months, we have seen a decrease in the number of vehicle break-ins and this is testament to the work of officers who seek to banish this sort of criminality from our communities. We urge anyone who has suffered from a vehicle break-in to get in touch with our officers, who will be able to provide assistance and advice going forward."
And, on Wednesday (May 17), officers were on the beat to warn residents of the danger. GMP's north Manchester division said on social media: "In the Ancoats area, it was recognised that it was becoming a hot-spot area for vehicle crime.
"Last week, the C-Relief NBO Team worked in partnership with Manchester City Council to help combat the vehicle crime taking place in the area. The team were able to speak to members of the public, residents, and visit buildings to give out and put up crime prevention leaflets/posters which should positively impact the area.
"We encourage the public to keep raising their concerns and reporting crime as will help the C-Relief team make more arrests and enhance safety in your area."
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