Criminals are recruiting vulnerable people, including children, to damage houses suspected of being HMOs, police in Manchester believe.
In recent weeks, dozens of properties have been targeted across Greater Manchester, mostly in Salford, but also in Stockport and Tameside.
The houses that have been attacked are either HMOs (houses in multiple occupation), or properties that have been mistaken for HMOs. Police have received at least 46 separate reports of criminal damage, with cars also targeted alongside houses.
Windows have been smashed, and walls and doors have been sprayed with graffiti reading “fuck off” and “no HMO”. Houses are being targeted because they are believed to hold immigrants or refugees.
Ch Supt Marcus Noden said: “We suspect vulnerable people are being exploited and paid to damage buildings they believe are HMOs. Some of those being exploited are believed to be children.”
“This recent spate of damage is not being tolerated,” he added. “A 42-year-old man has today been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage at an address in Salford overnight. He remains in our custody for questioning.”
Previously Noden said that officers were “taking this spate of damage extremely seriously and are continuing to relentlessly target offenders, including those who we believe are using and exploiting children to orchestrate the criminality”.
Salford council has also taken down roadside banners that had been put up, which read: “IRLAM AND CADISHEAD SAY NO TO MIGRANT HMOs.”
In a statement, the council said: “We have serious concerns that the impact of the banners is highly likely to spread misinformation, escalate cohesion issues in communities and the potential for inciteful behaviour.”
Police have also said that social media is fuelling the attacks, which began on 5 October, with online platforms being used to “push the message out across different areas”.
Posts with pictures of the damaged houses have attracted hundreds of comments, many of them praising the attacks and predicting further violence.
However, some have also been critical of the criminal campaign of damage, including domestic abuse survivors who had recently been housed in HMOs.
Four people have been arrested this week in relation to the attacks. On Monday, a 46-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and on Wednesday a 33-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
Police have also made previous arrests in relation to the spate of criminal damage, including a 13-year-old boy.
