Bolton facial recognition van operation makes two arrests

The vans were deployed in Bolton town centre on Wednesday, September 17, as part of Operation Avro, and officers made arrests during the activity.

Police said the facial recognition operation was one of their busiest in a while.

Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley, Bolton district commander, said: “As part of Operation Avro today we have got the live facial recognition banner in the town centre.

Ch Supt Helen Critchley (Image: NQ)

“This is nothing for people to be concerned about; this is just an opportunity for us to identify people who might be wanted, subjects of orders and breaching those orders.”

Two arrests were made at the van, while 19 arrests were reported across the wider operation.

The technology was used to identify people who were wanted, or who were subject to court orders they may have breached.

Images of people who were not wanted or in breach of an order would not be retained, she said.

(Image: NQ)

Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley said: “If you’re not wanted, if you’re not a subject of an order and in breach, you’ve got nothing to worry about, your images won’t be retained.”

The vans left the town centre at about 2.27pm.

Police also reported 13 successful warrants, 12 vehicles seized, and 39 shotgun cartridges and a machete recovered.

Two cannabis farms were confirmed during the operation.

(Image: NQ)

Earlier, officers found cannabis plants during searches of properties in Breightmet and Highfields.

The wider activity also included a traffic operation on Manchester Road.

A total of 124 vehicles were stopped from 8am.

Mike Jennings-Wharton, Chief Inspector for Bolton, said: “Today we’ve had a really successful day right across the borough of Bolton under Operation Avro.

(Image: NQ)

“It’s a really good use of technology, where faces are scanned, and the image is destroyed. But if you are wanted, we will find you.

“We did actually find some wanted people today. Someone wanted on warrant for drug supply. Someone wanted for criminal offences.

“It also allowed us to get our hands into the pockets of people involved in criminality and stopping our sex offenders within the town centre.”

Officers found offences involving mobile phones and seatbelts.

Police said the operation followed concerns raised by local residents and involved several partner agencies.