Three men are in police custody this morning after an early morning vehicle stop in Royton led to the recovery of suspected theft equipment, which officers believe may have helped prevent further crime in the Oldham area.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police carried out the stop at around 2.35am on Wednesday 9 April on Rochdale Road in Royton. A routine patrol turned into a significant arrest when a search of the vehicle uncovered a haul of items commonly linked to criminal activity, including balaclavas, winches, sophisticated signal jamming equipment and multiple false number plates.

The three occupants of the vehicle, aged 37, 41 and 42, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of going equipped for theft. They remain in custody for questioning by detectives from GMP's Oldham district.

Under the Theft Act 1968, the offence of going equipped for theft carries a maximum prison sentence of three years. The discovery of signal jamming equipment is particularly notable for investigators. Such devices can be used by criminals to block the signal from a car's keyless entry fob or to disable GPS trackers fitted to high-value vehicles and plant machinery, making them a growing concern for policing teams across the region.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the items recovered from the vehicle will now be subjected to forensic testing as part of a wider investigation to establish any links to specific crimes across the borough and beyond.

The arrests form part of a concerted and ongoing operation by GMP across Oldham, targeting serious acquisitive crime including burglary, vehicle crime and robbery. The proactive strategy involves high-visibility patrols during unsocial hours, early morning warrants on known offenders and preventative engagement with local communities.

Detective Inspector Kelly Paterson, from GMP’s Oldham district, praised the work of the officers involved. “This was a great piece of work by officers early this morning, who were able to secure three arrests and potentially prevent any crime from occurring,” she said.

“We are of course investigating all of the circumstances, but this work forms part of our commitment to tackling criminals who would seek to disrupt the lives of the law-abiding public. If anyone has any information with regards to criminality in their area, I would urge them to contact us directly, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously.”

Residents in Royton and the wider Oldham area are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to police, particularly involving vehicles operating late at night on residential streets. Information can be passed to GMP by calling 101, or via the LiveChat function on the force's website. The independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The investigation by Oldham CID remains ongoing. The proactive nature of this stop is a clear demonstration of the local police commitment to keeping the borough's streets safe and disrupting criminal activity before it impacts the community.