Here at Confidential we get a constant stream of reports, releases and updates from Greater Manchester Police. This is a small selection of the reports received so far this week, not all of them.
Some do make for depressing reading but it's worth remembering that Greater Manchester has a population of 2.6m and that recent figures show crime rates have fallen across both the region and the country.
Saturday 3 May: Gunshots fired in Salford
At approximately 6pm on Friday 2 May 2014, police were called to Coronation Street to reports of gun shots.
Police found a car had been damaged in the incident, although there were no reported injuries.
Enquiries have established that a silver Vauxhall Combo van drove away from the scene in the direction of Bolton Road.
A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody.
DI Ben Hart from Salford division, said: “I'm sure that the local community will be very concerned that such a serious incident has taken place in their neighbourhood, in a residential area, during broad daylight.
“Thankfully no-one was hurt, but whenever firearms are used there is always the great risk that someone will be seriously harmed or killed, whether that is the intended target or an unrelated member of the public.
“We share the community’s outrage that someone thinks they can behave like this, which is why we have launched a thorough investigation, which at this stage looks as if it was a targeted attack."
Anyone with information is asked to call our office directly on 0161 856 5345 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Wednesday 30 April: CCTV image: man raped in Canal Street bar
At around 6am on Saturday 19 April 2014, a man in his 20s was raped in the toilet of a Canal Street bar by a man who had followed him in.
Police have released this CCTV image of the suspected offender.
Detective Constable Ruth Holland from the Serious Sexual Offences Unit said: "We are keen to speak to the man in the image and would ask if anyone recognises him that they get in contact with police.
"I would like to reassure the community that this is an isolated incident but would ask anyone with information or concerns to call us."
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 2124 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
CCTV Appeal Canal Steet
Tuesday 29 April: CCTV of deliberate Hyde hit and run
At around 2.15pm on Saturday 26 April a cyclist was lucky to escape serious injury when a white man in a baseball cap used his car to ram the victim off his bicycle (see below).
The cyclist suffered injuries to his leg, arm and back in the seemingly unprovoked hit and run.
Detective Constable Darren Byrne said: "This was a deliberate, shocking attack against an innocent man, who was lucky to escape more serious injury.
"We are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the incident, or perhaps even the car in question, which in this case was used as a weapon by the offender."
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 9313 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Tuesday 29 April: 'Paraplegic' tax dodger ordered to pay back over £250k
Peter Bell, 67, of Dalefields in Delph, Oldham, has been sentenced to fifteen months in prison and had over quarter of a million pounds confiscated for tax evasion, money laundering and fraud.
Back in July 2012, police found £311,940 of cash hidden under a bedroom drawer - which begs the question, how big was this drawer?
Bell, who had been working as a builder since he was sixteen and collecting pay cash-in-hand, decalred himself paraplegic in 1999 after an accident and claimed a total of £42,000 incapacity benefit over the years. He was back working by 2001 but failed to inform the authorities.
An order was made to confiscate £142,170 and to pay back HMRC £91,759.29 in unpaid tax. A confiscation order was made to pay back the DWP a total of £41,529.
Detective Constable Michelle Lomax, of the Oldham POCA unit based within the Organised Crime Team at Oldham. said: "Bell showed a pattern of greed and deception over the best part of a decade.
“He has now been ordered to pay back the vast majority of the money he cheated from the taxpayer."
Bell's washing
Monday 28 April: Man's body found following burglary
In the early hours of Sunday 27 April police were called to the offices of Deen Wahid Solicitors on Delaunays Road following reports of a burglary.
When officers attended they found a man's body in a nearby garden. He'd received fatal injuries to the leg.
A post mortem is underway and two men have been arrested.
Police continue to appeal for information.
If you have any information that can tell us what’s happened then please call police on 0161 856 3925 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
