Meet the police on the beat keeping shoppers and retailers safe in Oldham this Christmas

Oldham town centre has extra police boots on the ground this week as Sergeant Graham Craven and his Oldham Town Centre and Retail Crime Team lead nightly foot patrols aimed at shoplifters and rowdy behaviour. The patrols are part of Greater Manchester Police's wider Operation North Star, timed for the pre-Christmas rush when incidents normally spike.

They are joined by nine student officers, including 15-week rookie PC Ryan Homer, who says strangers already stop him for directions and safety advice. Homer, 28, told reporters that walking the beat was the part of the job he had looked forward to most: 'Helping someone find the right bus home feels small, but it matters.

Council cameras feed directly to shop radios, so if a retailer spots trouble, officers can be guided in within minutes. The set-up is the practical side of Oldham Council's winter Safer Town Centre plan, which links CCTV operators, licensees and the police on a single channel.

Councillor Elaine Taylor, who oversees neighbourhood services, joined the late-night circuit on Saturday and said the visible presence was meant to steady nerves after a year when some stores reported repeat thefts. Officers logged 18 shoplifting stops over the weekend; most ended in cautions or on-the-spot recoveries rather than arrests.

The patrols continue through New Year's Eve, with shifts staggered to cover late-night shopping hours and last trains. Sgt Craven said the goal was simple: 'Keep the tills ringing and the streets calm so families can finish their lists without looking over their shoulders.