THIEVES targeted a rehabilitation charity and an independent wedding dress shop as part of the latest burglaries in Bolton's shopping district.

The break-ins happened at Be Strong Training and Enterprise Centre in Churchgate on Sunday November 22 and at Glamour Bridal and Prom in Bank Street happened on Tuesday last week (November 24).

A rise in the number of break-ins in Bolton town centre over October and November prompted Bolton South and Central Integrated Neighbourhood Policing Team to arrange extra patrols and investigations to try to combat the offences.

Glamour Bridal and Prom owner Debbie Buck said: "I didn't know about anything about this until it happened to me.

"It would have been good if the community officers came in and spoke to local businesses and updated us about what's going on, and warned us.

"The council is wanting to promote the new cinema and the vault restaurant (in Market Place Shopping Centre) which is hopefully going to bring more people into the town centre and they need to be seen to crack down on crime and promote safety in the town centre."

The thief jumped over some gates, broke in through the front door and entered the shop.

He stole an Apple Mac computer but the files were quickly remotely deleted by Ms Buck.

It is believed the culprit was wearing a grey hooded top and a bodywarmer.

He was spotted lurking near the shop earlier in the day and learning up against the gates, talking on a mobile telephone, just five minutes before the break-in.

Darren Armstrong, director of Be Strong, said the burglars who struck at the charity were caught on camera - and knew exactly what they were doing.

He said: "It was two lads. They lifted up the shutters and kicked the door in and ran straight to the office upstairs and ripped the safe off the wall with £500 in it.

"Money that would be used to feed people and pay for the maintenance of the gym has had to be used to fix the front door and the shutters.

"The office door and the door frame have been repaired and that's costs us quite a bit."