Greater Manchester Police have implemented a Section 60 authority in Stretford after a man was chased by another man wielding a machete. The order grants officers extended stop and search powers in a specified area of the town until 10pm tonight.
Incident on Marple Grove
Officers were called to Marple Grove at around 8.45pm on Saturday night following reports that several men were chasing a victim and attempting to attack him. At least one person is believed to have been using a machete. Fortunately, the victim escaped without injury.
No arrests have been made, and enquiries are ongoing. The Section 60 authority, granted at 10pm last night, will run for 24 hours. It allows officers to stop and search individuals without the need for suspicion of a crime. Additionally, a Section 60AA authority permits officers to require people to remove face coverings used to conceal their appearance.
Increased Patrols and Community Safety
Chief Inspector Justin Woodward from GMP's Trafford district stated: "This order has been implemented to provide officers with extra powers to tackle these sort of vile actions, which will never be tolerated. This could have easily led to serious injury or worse, and it is right that our officers in the area have these powers to stop-search and ask people to remove face coverings. Ultimately, this is to deter and prevent any further criminality. You will see extra officers in the area and I would urge anyone with any information or issues to please get in touch with us."
The enforcement of the Section 60 is part of GMP's response to keeping the community safe and preventing further incidents. Officers will be increasing patrols in the area over the coming days, and the authorisation will be reviewed throughout the day and extended if necessary.
