A MAN has pleaded guilty to stealing a car to get credit from a loan company.

Bolton Crown Court heard Zahid Khan regularly moved addresses to avoid loan sharks who are after him.

Khan, aged 35, was living in Great Lever when he stole an Audi A4 in June last year.

He has now moved to Dunsters Court in Bury in a bid to avoid loan sharks, the court was told. He will be sentenced on June 27.

Khan’s guilty plea has prompted warnings from the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, urging people to avoid borrowing money from loan sharks.

Bosses say the lenders often work from home, charge high interest rates and often do not give paperwork confirming arrangements made.

Figures recorded by CAB revealed personal debt in the UK stands at £1.46 trillion, an average of £8,920 per person.

Cases which officers have dealt with include people being forced into crime, such as drug dealing or prostitution to repay debts to loan sharks.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, which runs National Debtline and Business Debtline, said: “Turning to crime will only make a bad situation worse.”

For information about how to get help call the National Debtline on 0808 808 4000, call Bolton Citizens’ Advice Bureau on 0844 826 9707 or visit mymoneysteps.org