A PRE-CHRISTMAS crime crackdown netted 24 criminals in a week.

Police mounted operations across the town to foil street thieves, burglars and car criminals, looking to prey on shoppers, houses and cars.

The arrests included 11 for burglary, 11 for car crime and two for robbery offences.

Officers stepped up patrols in the town centre to protect Christmas shoppers carrying extra cash and presents.

Operations were also carried out to ensure the safety of elderly people carrying extra cash around on the double pension days before Christmas. Visable patrols were placed near key post office branches and plain clothes teams kept tabs on known thieves.

Street thieves and pickpockets also found themselves the target of a sting which saw 34-year-old PC Michelle Holland pose as a pensioner in a bid to stop a surge in town centre thefts.

She was flanked by detectives from Bolton Police's dedicated Robbery Squad. It followed the thefts of eight purses in just a single day in the Newport Street area.

Two people were arrested during the operation.

Sgt Ian Coop of Bolton Police urged shoppers to remain vigilant with the January sales attracting crowds of shoppers to town.

"The Christmas period was generally quiet and we will be continuing the operations into the New Year to ensure that it stays that way," he said.

"It is a time of year where people might be more vulnerable to crime simply because they could be carrying extra money or expensive gifts.

"Although Christmas has passed, the advice to people is that they need to be aware of their safety and surroundings."