4:34pm Monday 28th April 2008
By Paul Keaveny
TOWN centre crime fighters are launching a new campaign to stop elderly women falling victim to thieves and pickpockets.
Police have teamed up with Bolton Council and the town centre's Business Crime Partnership for the awareness campaign.
Together they want make sure shoppers in the town centre can enjoy their visit to Bolton without fear of being targeted by opportunistic criminals.
All shoppers, but particularly elderly women, are being urged to make sure they do not leave their purses and wallets on display for sneak thieves to steal.
Rob Dyson, Bolton's Business Crime Manager, said: "At the moment there's an awful lot of work being done to ensure that our visitors don't become victims of crime but there are also steps they can take themselves to alleviate the problem."
Mr Dyson said shoppers need to be aware of potential thieves walking close to them and to make sure that any valuables, particularly purses and wallets, are kept out of sight and secure in bags or inside coat pockets.
"They are despicable crimes and we know the public will support us by reducing their own risk of being targeted by opportunistic thieves. I would also implore people to report anybody acting suspiciously to the police."
Earlier this month, there was a spate of purse snatches when women aged 68, 56 and 67, were targeted by thieves who "dipped" into their handbags in Ashburner Street market, Deansgate, and outside the PDSA shop in Newport Street on April 5.
Three more women, aged 80, 78 and 85, were targeted on April 8 and April 9 in Great Moor Street, Bolton, and again in Deansgate and Newport Street.
Police do not believe the thefts are linked.
Insp Ian Parker, Bolton's town centre inspector, added: "This problem is no worse than it has been in the last two years, but we are aware that thieves are trying to target elderly people and we would urge them to keep their valuables hidden and not make it easy for the thieves."
Anybody with any information about crime can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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