A SELF-STYLED vigilante takes an axe to a car while issuing a string of threats to criminals he claims are plaguing his village.
The masked man then winches the vehicle 10ft in the air on a forklift truck before dropping it to the ground.
He says: "To the criminals of Blackrod who think they can go around robbing f*****g shops, stealing cars like this, dealing f*****g drugs, driving round estates, pinching people's tools.
"You're playing with the wrong vigi-f*****g-lantes.”
The extraordinary scenes were featured in a video that has been widely shared on Facebook.
It's claimed to be in response to rising crime levels in the village of Blackrod near Bolton, Gtr Manchester.
However Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have said the footage was staged.
Chief Inspector Clark Bowers of GMP’s Bolton Borough, said: “We are aware of a video that shows a person in a balaclava with an axe claiming to be part of a ‘vigilante’ group from Blackrod.
“We have identified the person in the video and have established that this is a staged video and although it was not a good decision to make, there was no malicious intent."
It provoked a string of comments, with one person writing: “Everyone in Blackrod is living in fear of these scumbags robbing house and vehicles.
"Something is done about it and people start moaning. We can't win.”
Another said: "Scary that it has come to this hope the 'Vigilantes' don't end getting into more trouble from the police than the scumbags terrorising our village."
Another wrote: "I understand the sentiment but in my opinion this is not the way to deal with it ! ... Someone is going to get hurt or in serious trouble. I don't know what the solution is but it definitely not this !!"
The latest crime figures available show there were 156 crimes reported in Horwich and Blackrod in November compared to 143 during the same period last year.
Of those more than 30 were for anti-social behaviour. There were six burglaries reported, 18 vehicle crimes and 17 for criminal damage and arson.
Cllr Isabel Seddon, chair of Blackrod Town Council, said: "The council feels strongly against any vigilantes. We are totally confident that it can be dealt with by the correct authorities.
"It is very negative to have people talking about taking matters into their own hands. The council's view is that this should be discouraged and we hope that the police will be able to step up and protect the residents in the way we would like."
Greater Manchester Police echoed calls for restraint, saying: "Taking matters into your own hands is not the way to solve these issues.”
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A spokeswoman added: “How we respond to incidents is based on the threat harm and risk that each incident poses.”
She said there are a number of PCSOs across the Horwich neighbourhood beat team, which covers Blackrod, and they are deployed on each shift where the greatest “threat, harm and risk is”.
She added there are also ongoing projects across the area with local officers working with partner agencies to resolve issues in the area.
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