According to this article, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have been struck down by an instance of the Conficker virus. The effect has been immediate, with systems taken off line preventing GMP officers undertaking checks on the police national computer (PNC).

The PNC is a vital tool and contains all types of data ranging from criminal records, stolen vehicles and missing people. Apparently access has been maintained via neighbouring forces. As anyone that has had cause to use the PNC facility will know this will only cause a delay during investigations.

So if you are stuck by the roadside whilst a police officer in GMP undertakes some checks remember that the delay has been caused by a virus that was discovered in August 2008 and had a patch released by Microsoft in November 2008 (MS08-067)...