A JD Sports store was put on lockdown when a pair of wanted men were spotted yesterday.
Thanks to an off-duty police officer, two men suspected of committing burglaries were seen walking into JD Sports at the Racecourse Retail Park in Aintree on Wednesday, June 8. The officer called for support from on-duty officers from Operation Pelican to attend in an ongoing crackdown on illegal drugs in Sefton.
The officers closed off the entrances to the store with one of the suspects attempting to run off before being arrested after a struggle at one of the exits. A 23-year-old man from Bootle was arrested on suspicion of five burglaries - two in Merseyside and others in Lancashire, Cheshire and Aberdeen. He was taken to custody and transferred to Cheshire Police, who are in charge of the investigation into the string of burglaries.
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An officer then approached the second man in the store who was at the tills, before he tried to escape police but was quickly detained after another struggle. The man was found in possession of cannabis and a large quantity of cash, believed to be around £3,000.
A 26-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class B controlled drug (cannabis), possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and on suspicion of money laundering. He was wanted on recall to prison after serving a sentence in Scotland and has now been returned to custody there.
Community Policing Inspector Ray Mavrakakis said: “Another positive result for Operation Pelican and Sefton targeted team means more good news for those in Sefton, as we continue to target those we suspect are spreading misery in the community. Since 2019, the team has made a huge contribution to the reduction of organised crime activity and shootings in the area.
“Our focus is now on targeting suspected drug suppliers, burglars and supporting victims of criminal exploitation so that the most vulnerable people in our communities are not subject to harm by criminals. Information from those people and communities most affected is often vital to these efforts, so if you have any information please come forward.”
If you have any information about suspected drug dealing in your area, please contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.
