Burglar stabbed to death

Salford burglar stabbed to death: Three arrested
A police officer at the house on Ethel Avenue Police received a call from the house saying a burglary was taking place

A burglar has been stabbed to death and the householder arrested on suspicion of murder after an attempted break-in at his house in Salford.

Four masked men attempted to get into a house in Ethel Avenue before midnight on Wednesday.

The stabbed man, 26, is believed to have been carried away by the other intruders as they fled, before being dumped in a street in Pendlebury.

Peter Flanagan, 57, son Neil, 29, and his son's girlfriend are being held.

The men and the 21-year-old woman are being questioned on suspicion of murder.

A 999 call was made from the house, during which the caller said four masked men were trying to break in.
Prime minister's vow

Police said the stabbed man was found on Hospital Road and died a short time later.

Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan, who heads Greater Manchester Police's Salford division, said the man suffered "at least one stab wound" during an altercation in the house involving at least one person from the address and four people breaking in.

He said he could not comment further on the injuries or the cause of death until a post-mortem examination had been carried out.

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Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan reveals details of the alleged burglary which resulted in the death of a 26-year-old man.

He also refused to comment on whether the weapon had been taken into the property by the intruder or if it belonged to the householder.

The three people with the stabbed man at the time of the incident have yet to be traced, Mr Mulligan said.

He urged them, or anyone who knows of their whereabouts, to contact Greater Manchester Police.

Prime Minister David Cameron this week vowed to bring in stronger measures to protect homeowners defending their property.

He said: "We will put beyond doubt that homeowners and small shopkeepers who use reasonable force to defend themselves or their properties will not be prosecuted."
Police at the scene A 100m cordon has been put in place around the terraced house

When asked about whether householders should be able to defend themselves, Mr Mulligan said: "Within the existing legal framework, you can use reasonable force to protect yourself - the emphasis on reasonable."

"I don't see it as my position to speculate on possible legislation in the future," he added.

He urged people who thought they were being burgled to contact police.

Police have put up a 100m cordon around the terraced house in Pendlebury, which backs on to open scrubland.

Mr Mulligan said: "I can reassure the community that we will thoroughly investigate what happened last night and do not believe that members of the public are at risk.

"I would urge anyone who knows something to speak to officers from the major incident team and anyone else who has other concerns can speak to my officers, who will be providing an increased presence to provide the community with reassurance."

It is understood the man was attempting to get into a house in Ethel Avenue, Salford, on Wednesday night when the householder tried to defend the house.

The man, 26, is believed to have been carried away by other members of a balaclava-clad gang as they fled.

Detectives investigating a break-in at a house in which an intruder was stabbed to death say it wasn’t a random, opportunistic burglary.

They believe the break-in by a gang of four men was intended to be a targeted attack – but that the gang may have got the wrong address.

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http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1424790_salford-intruder-death-stabbed-raider-may-have-gone-to-wrong-address

Detectives investigating a break-in at a house in which an intruder was stabbed to death say it wasn’t a random, opportunistic burglary.

They believe the break-in by a gang of four men was intended to be a targeted attack – but that the gang may have got the wrong address.