18 August 2023 , 10:26
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A man allegedly stole a customer's car from a "rogue" airport meet and greet car park - and then drove it to pick up his colleagues from custody.
The 48-year-old suspect is accused of travelling from an unofficial car park for Manchester Airport around 20 miles to Middlewich Custody Unit in Cheshire to collect his pals. He was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and has been bailed pending further enquiries.
Police said the incident happened on August 13, one day after two other men working at the "rogue" car park allegedly threatened a customer with a knife. Two suspects, aged 21 and 52, were arrested on suspicion of affray, Cheshire Constabulary said.
The force has used the cases to warn holidaymakers about the dangers of using a number of "rogue" car parks if travelling from Manchester and that many of them have "no affiliation" with the hub, which typically handles more than 23 million people each year.
Police have warned tourists about unofficial airport car parks following the cases (Cheshire Constabulary WS)Photographs published by Manchester Evening News showed cars rammed into tiny spaces on land that police said are typically "muddy fields". During the summer holidays, Cheshire Police said there has been a "surge" in incidents, that included cars being damaged, keys being lost or customers facing violent and threatening behaviour.
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The publication previously reported last year how one traveller returned from an eight-week trip to find 3,000 had been added to their mileage clock as another said their bonnet had been stolen at the site in Styal, Cheshire.
Inspector Andrew Baker, Beat Manager for Wilmslow and Knutsford, part of Macclesfield LPU, said: “Sadly, despite our previous warnings about these rogue car parks, people are still using the sites resulting in lots of unhappy customers and placing unnecessary pressure on local police officers.
“Many people using these car parks make their bookings through online comparison sites, believing that they are booking professional, secure airport parking which are linked to the airport. In reality, many of these car parks are simply muddy fields on land bordering the runway and have no affiliation to the airport whatsoever.
"While many of these businesses are not illegal and not all the incidents are criminal matters, some of the activity taking place on their sites is, and some the services they are providing are questionable.
"Holidays are supposed to be the highlight of the family calendar and while it might seem like a good idea to save a bit of cash on parking, the last thing anyone wants is to return home and find that their car has been damaged, or even worse is missing.
"If you are going on holiday and looking to book a parking slot, do your research, choose a reputable company and always book through an official website and don’t just go for the cheapest option. Otherwise your car may be touring the UK while you are travelling the world." Manchester Airport spokesperson urged passengers to "do their research before handing over their keys" as it thanked police for their work to tackle the issues.