Five men have been arrested overnight by Merseyside Police following 'Operation Target' deployments in Wirral.

These included a 31 year old man who they believed connected to a business robbery in November 2020 on Old Chester Road, a crime in which a machete was used to seriously injure another man.

The Mercedes they believed to be linked to the robbery was spotted by some off-duty officers on Town Lane in Higher Bebington.

The car owner, a 31 year old, was confronted and as a result his home was searched where officers located £5000 cash, numerous tablets, cannabis and suspected cocaine.

The stash of drugs, cash and car were all seized and the man was arrested on suspicion of robbery, possession of criminal property and drugs offences.

Inspector Chris Lucan-Pratt said: "Serious violence can be linked to various crime types - individuals involved in drugs could also be carrying weapons or those involved in gangs could also be gun crime or serious assaults. Therefore, officers from our Op Target teams on the Wirral play a vital part in proactively policing the area, whether that is conducting activity including warrants, open land searches, roadside operations or high visibility patrols to identify anyone that could be involved in more serious criminality.

"The arrests overnight highlight our continued efforts of pursuing offenders, bringing them to justice and keeping our communities safe. If you have any information on anyone else involved in crime, please do not hesitate to get in touch."

Contact Crimestoppers to anonymously report a crime or suspicious behaviour: 0800 555 111