AS THE Messenger celebrates its 25th birthday, it is an appropriate time to again mention 'The 25 Scheme' run by the police.

The scheme is open to any drivers over the age of 25 and costs just £1 to join.

With membership, the motorist receives two stickers to place inside the front and rear windscreens of their car which are difficult to remove. These indicate that the vehicle should normally only be driven by someone over 25 years of age.

Police officers who see the stickers in a window of a car driven by someone who appears to be under 25, can stop the car and challenge them.

Community Safety Officer at Altrincham police station, PC Tony Crompton told SAM: "The idea for the scheme came about after car crime figures were analysed and the 25 year mark gave us an indication of trends.

"We found that 80 per cent of vehicle theft is committed by persons under 25, whilst 70 per cent of the victims are over 25."

The whole aim of the scheme is to reduce the theft of vehicles- particularly by young offenders and has provided significant results since its introduction.

PC Crompton added: "What we have found is that many young car thieves don't try to steal vehicles with 25 scheme stickers displayed as they know they are very likely to be stopped by the police."

Joining costs just £1

Arrested

IN THE April 1 Car Watch article police warned potential car buyers about a series of burglaries at car showrooms in Altrincham and Timperley.

Just a week after the article a man from North Manchester was arrested for similar offences who, when questioned about the break-ins, admitted a total of 70 different offences across the whole of Greater Manchester. He is currently on remand in Preston prison.

Hot spots

THERE has been a spate of thefts from vehicles in both Altrincham and Sale over the past week occuring mostly during the day time.

A radio cassette player was taken from a car parked near Loreto Convent School on Saturday. On Monday another car had a lawnmower and a rake stolen after the lock was forced on Cross Street, while another vehicle parked on the car park at the Bowdon Hotel was broken into with a mobile phone and a holdall left on show taken. The radio was snatched from a car parked on Richmond Road near to Deckers in Bowdon after thieves smashed a window.

In Sale cars were targeted on the Dunham House car park on Cross Street, a car park on Oaklands Drive and the Sainsbury's store, when drills and tools were taken.

In the dock

Lee Anthony Clayton, 22, of Tulip Road, Partington has been arrested and charged with aggravated vehicle taking (being carried) and appears at Trafford Magistrates Court on May 27.

There have been 16 other people charged with vehicle related offences this week who for legal reasons cannot be named.

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