A CRACKDOWN on pickpockets in Bolton town centre has achieved a significant success with NO crimes reported over the last seven days.

The campaign was mounted after police figures revealed that teams of pickpockets were preying on people in the town's busy shopping centre.

Before the campaign was launched an average of six offences a day was being reported to the police.

In a bid to combat the crime spree, the Bolton Town Centre Company, in conjunction with the police, launched a bid to make shoppers aware of the danger posed by pickpockets.

Extra police officers were drafted in and town centre ambassadors approached shoppers in Bolton's Ashburner Street market who they saw walking around with their bags and handbags open. The aim was to make them aware that they presented an easy target for the thieves.

The ambassadors patrolled the market area and spoke to 230 people over five days. Posters warning shoppers that pickpockets are operating in the town centre were also distributed to shops and stalls and displayed at railway and bus stations and on pay and display car parks.

Supt Alan Greene of Bolton Police said he was delighted with the success of the operation.

"It shows how crime prevention measures can work," said the police chief. "It really has had a benefit."

But he added: "I am not naive enough to believe that we have eradicated the problem for ever. I do believe however that with the public help and a little bit of common sense from people we can stop it from being a major problem.

Nigel Howarth, retail crime operation deputy manager, said: "There has been a significant reduction in reported theft and we are very pleased the campaign has had such a positive effect. The posters were put up in all the town centre company's member shops, at the rail and bus stations and car parks.

"The ambassadors are also very active in keeping an eye out to help shoppers stay aware of the dangers.

"We now plan to extend the poster campaign by creating door and window stickers to help keep the public alert."

Supt Greene added: "On the whole Bolton town centre is a safe area to shop in.

"The police and the town centre company want it to remain that way."