North Manchester police have warned of an upsurge in burglaries and car thefts from Jewish residents — and announced the closure of a local police station.

In the past week in Prestwich, two televisions were stolen from a house, a handbag was taken from a flat and an attempt made to steal a car.

There were over fifty incidents of car crime in Prestwich last month, more than double the figure for December 2011. A fortnight ago, Salford police charged a man with 13 burglaries in the Broughton Park area.

Prestwich police officer Chris Grayshon attributed the rise to successful police operations in other local divisions pushing criminals into his area.

Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police have announced the closure of Prestwich police station because of financial cutbacks.

It is feared the closure will mean longer response times as officers will be based some miles away in Whitefield.

But Bury division’s Superintendent Mark Granby pledged that the “GMP remains committed to neighbourhood policing and the closure will not have an impact on policing in the area”.