ARMED robbers have struck once too often says a Leigh mum who reveals how thieving thugs have made hers and others lives a misery.

Caroline Sewell, a health care assistant and office manager at the Premier Health Team practice in her town, believes its time that the community combined with Police to stamp out an unsettling trend.

She is writing to Leigh MP Andy Burnham asking for help because "Leigh is currently being terrorised by mindless criminals".

Her husband Nick is general manager of the new Frankie and Bennys restaurant in Leigh where a week last Sunday masked men struck twice in the early hours and later that same night.

"The thieves took thousands. They damaged property, stole our personal laptop with every single photograph of my young children on there. They terrorised six young members of staff. I haven't slept properly for a week through fear they will strike again.

"The following Wednesday robbers struck at the Bradshawgate amusement arcade and also last evening at Bella Bistro restaurant.

"I have been trying to figure our what we can do to help tackle this problem. I work locally and meet and serve our community on a daily basis. Everyone has been shaken to the ground with these events.

"I have lived in Leigh from birth, and this is the first time in my 33 years that I have felt unsafe, even in my own home."

Inspector Ian Kennedy of the Leigh Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) said: “It is easy to forget where we were three years ago and the problems communities faced. Unfortunately, we do still see burglary victims, but working together has seen residents making life more difficult for criminals, with many going to great lengths to make their homes more secure.

“We have invested heavily in new and diverse tactics to prevent and detect such crimes, and are currently visiting homes in West Leigh to security mark people’s valuables, thus making them easy to identify if stolen. We intend to carry out this work across the whole of Leigh shortly.

Inspector Kennedy added: “It is truly heartening to see law-abiding people reclaiming their communities and making them what they once were, and I give assurance that my team will continue to support them in the ongoing fight against crime.”

To contact the Leigh NPT call 0161 856 7225 or email leigh.apt@gmp.police.uk Meanwhile this week in Leigh Police were out and about informing people of the SmartWater scheme where they have offer DNA style property marking, with a unique code.

Wendy O'Neil, GMP's divisional crime reduction adviser, said: "We are committed to reducing burglary and vehicle crime across the borough, as these offences can be distressing to victims, as well as hugely inconvenient. We hope that by running this extensive property marking scheme we can make things harder for criminals, and that publicising it will help to deter any would-be thieves.

Phil Cleary, Chief Executive of SmartWater, said: "Through the use of SmartWater, police can irrefutably trace any marked item back to its owner."

Wendy O'Neil, crime reduction adviser for GMP's Wigan Division, said: "We are committed to reducing burglary and vehicle crime across the borough, as these offences can be distressing to victims, as well as hugely inconvenient. We hope that by running this extensive property marking scheme we can make things harder for criminals, and that publicising it will help to deter any would-be thieves."