Crime and Safety, Manchester

Unlicensed and dangerous taxis are a danger no matter where you are but there is a scheme for all of the Greater Manchester area called 'Travel Safe Taxis'

You can type in the registration number of the taxi you are about to ride in and if you want to book a taxi you can call it straight off the website.

Another safety feature is you can find a taxi rank in the city center that tells you whether it's marshalled for that extra safety.

Its all for the mobile internet so you can access it anywhere.

Just type in www.taxinumbers.mobi. Oh it's FREE!

General Advice

Crime Reporting
Important Notice

Please be aware that we can only deal with incidents that occur in the Greater Manchester Police area.

Reporting Crime

In an emergency you should dial 999 when:

there is a danger to life or a risk of injury being caused, such as a serious road accident or assault.
a crime is in progress, such as a robbery, burglary or theft, and the offender is still on the scene or has only just left the area.
the immediate attendance of police officer is necessary.

Reporting Non-Urgent Crimes

You can now use a national police On-Line Crime Reporting site to report the following categories of crime committed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

Burglary of non-domestic or commercial premises, e.g. sheds and outbuildings
Theft
Criminal Damage
Theft from or damage to vehicles

Please note: You should only report the above crimes via the On-Line Crime Reporting site. Otherwise, to report non-emergency minor crime phone our central switchboard number on 0161 872 5050.

Call into a Police Station

Call into a Police Station and speak to a member of staff on duty who will take down details of the crime. Visit our Police Station addresses and opening times page for information.

Report a Hate Crime

Hate crime is any criminal offence, committed against a person or property that is motivated by the offender's hate against people because of their sex, race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. A victim of hate crime does not have to be either a member of a minority or someone who is for some reason considered vulnerable. Click here to report a Hate Crime.

For details of contacts within the Force click here for Racial Contacts and Lesbian/Gay Contacts .

[copied from http://www.gmp.police.uk/mainsite/pages/CrimeReporting.htm]

As with all major cities Manchester is no different - keep your wits about you, your handbag zipped an be aware of your surrounds - pick pockets are in the city - particularly around busy areas such at the train station and arndale.

Beggers are also another issue keep away - don't give any money to them. You may see guys selling 'the Big Issue' it is fine to buy one of these - this helps the homeless earn an income and some of them have said to me gives them a purpose and reason to get up in a morning....on a cold day i am sure a tea would go down well!

don't go off the beaten track either!

I strongly advise not going in or around Manchester Picadilly station between 12am and 5am. We were told it is not safe by a group of workmen. And later found this to be true when a girl who stunk of alsohol or meths pestered us. Lots of homeless and drug addicts inside the station, beware!

Pick pockets are everywhere, so be careful of your money. Luckily I wear a wallet with a chain. They don't just steal your wallet either. I went to a Manchester United game. I started out with a pair of gloves in my pockets and a hat on my head, and by the time we reached the entrance they were gone and I did not even notice.

Manchester has problems like any other big city, but my main piece of advice is try and keep a distance from large groups of teenagers. I sound like an old man, but they can attack unprovoked, and I received a black eye to prove it.

a few tips for visitors from a mancunian!
* avoid oxford street like the plague after 11pm friday and saturday nights unless your idea of fun is dodging fights with drunk men in ben sherman shirts and admiring "pavement pizzas" (puddles of sick!). the nightbus isn't a good idea aswell!
* salford, hulme and moss side, although lovely in the day, should generally be avoided at night. a comment below states avoiding men on bikes. this is some of the best advice you will hear!
* if you're a woman and you can't avoid walking somewhere on your own, make sure you keep in clear view of pedestrians and cars and don't walk anywhere near park entrances or alleyways, ESPECIALLY at night. if you have some keys hold them firmly in your hand in your pocket. don't carry a huge bag or wear visible jewellery
* be careful about taxis, don't flag down anything other than a black cab on the street and make sure you can see the driver's ID and registration number
* although piccadilly gardens is quite pretty at night avoid walking across it as gangs of 'yobs' tend to hang around after dark

and finally....
if you're not from england, you'll find the northern english sense of humour a little hard to grasp at first! don't take everything to heart, we have a habit of poking fun at people as a way of bonding with them!

I know it probably happens every where but if you come to Greater Manchester and you happen to find you self in Salford for goodness sake watch out for the scallies. they hang around in gangs to try and steel your wallet of your mobile phone. When I first moved here I would hear of people I know getting chased by them, its not nice so please be carefull!
I don't really have any helpful resoures just keep eveything hidden and don't walk home alone at night!