Police smashed through the front doors of five properties with suspected links to organised crime in a series of morning raids.
Merseyside Police launched its Clear, Hold, Build project, known locally as EVOLVE Wirral, on the Woodchurch, Noctorum and Beechwood estates this morning, Thursday, May 18. The Home Office-designed project was launched to disrupt and deter organised crime group (OCG) activity and help stop neighbourhoods being exploited by criminals.
As part of the first stage of the day of action, the force executed five misuse of drug warrants at properties across Woodchurch and Birkenhead town centre. The ECHO was informed Merseyside Police had received significant intelligence which suggested some of those involved were involved in serious criminal activity.
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On a quiet cul-de-sac in Woodchurch, the ECHO witnessed officers in riot gear smash through the front door of a semi-detached house. The terrified screams of a child, caught up in the dangerous world of criminality, cut over the officer's shouts of "police" as they entered the property.
Three people were arrested during the raids and significant quantities of drugs and cash were seized. An investigation is ongoing after a 32-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man from Woodchurch and a 31-year-old woman from Birkenhead were arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property and were taken to a police station in Merseyside for questioning.
Assistant Chief Constable Jon Roy told the ECHO he hoped the raid sent a clear message to those engaging in criminal behaviour. ACC Roy said: "My message is the same any day - you cannot feel comfortable in your homes, because we will be relentless in our drive to find you and arrest you for the offences you have committed. And we will do everything in our power to tackle your criminality so other people can feel safe in their homes and you don’t feel safe in your homes."
Speaking regarding the gun deaths of Jackie Rutter and Elle Edwards, the senior police officer added: "Wirral hasn't been immune [from serious crime] and our commitment here is tackling the crime. We've made nearly 400 arrests when it comes to fighting crime.
"All of this is underpinned by communities coming to us and telling us where the drugs are, who the criminals are, and how we can best help them."
As well as clearing and then minimising OCG activity out of the estates, a significant part of the programme is aimed at regenerating the area through community-led initiatives. ACC Roy added: "We can all see the damage serious organised crime does to people and communities as a whole and this community is no different.
"We’ve had a shooting here, serious violence here, and communities have told us they’ve had enough and want to help us deal with it and build that social capital so communities feel safer in their homes and in their street. They’re good people who deserve to own the streets, not other people."
Merseyside Police is working in collaboration with a number of local partners, including Wirral Council, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Magenta Living, Sanctuary Housing and local schools and businesses. EVOLVE Wirral is one of three EVOLVE projects in Merseyside and is an expansion of Beechwood Together.
The Home Office-designed project follows the launches of EVOLVE Liverpool and Knowsley last August after the deaths of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 22-year-old Sam Rimmer and 28-year-old Ashley Dale, and EVOLVE Netherton which launched last month on the Park Lane estate.
Chief Inspector Tom Welch, who is one of the lead officers involved in EVOLVE Wirral, said: "Today’s activity marks the start of the Build phase of the project where we will be working closely with partners and communities to help those living and working in the Woodchurch, Beechwood and Noctorum estates.
"As a group we will be doing everything in our powers to disrupt and deter criminals from operating on our streets and ultimately to see them put behind bars. This is a long-term project where we want to make a difference to these neighbourhoods so they are safer for generations to come.
"To help us make the greatest impact we need the community to continue to engage with us to give us the intelligence we need to be able to keep people safe and we ask those with any information to contact us, or Crimestoppers, anonymously."
Anyone with any information about crime is asked to call Merseyside Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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