CALLS for an "urgent" meeting with police has been made after a rise in car crime.

Ward councillor Sean Hornby raised the issue of the number of vehicles being stolen at last night's full council in response to anger at the increase in crime in Little Lever.

He told the chamber: "Concerns have been expressed as to the levels of crime especially vehicle crime late at night by youths some of which are not old enough to be even hold a licence would the leader of the Council agree to holding a meeting with representatives of all political parties and senior officers of Greater Manchester Police as a matter of urgency and would he write to the Home Secretary expressing the concerns and ask for additional funding to help tackle this problem."

The Bolton News reported early last month that villagers cold take the law into their own hands after a spate of "Gone in 60 Seconds" car thefts.

Only this week the paper reported that people living in Smithills and Heaton have seen a spate of car crimes over the last few months.

Cllr Hornby said: "Very little seems to be happening about car crime in Little Lever, and other forms of crime. There needs to a be a major police operation which needs outside funding.C

"There have been cases where people have walked up to front doors tried them to see if they are open and if they are they take the keys and steal the car.

"I think vehicles are being stolen to order."

Cllr Hornby also said that number plates were also be stolen in the village so the stolen vehicle can undetected for a while.

"Residents are angry, they do not feel safe," said Cllr Hornby, "We need extra funding to tackle this, we used to have three police officers in the village and CCTV now we have one police officer we have to share with other three other wards.

"I will personally write to the Home Secretary."

Cllr Hornby said the village had plans to install CCTV cameras as part of its plan to reduce crime in the village.