MORE homes were broken into in Bolton last year than in any other town in Greater Manchester, figures reveal.

But the town's police officers also solved more crimes compared to their colleagues throughout the rest of the county.

Despite their efforts, though, the total number of crimes committed in the borough still rose by more than three per cent.

In a report today to the Greater Manchester Police Authority, Chief Constable David Wilmot revealed that a staggering 297,715 crimes were recorded in the county for the 12 months ending in March - 1.9pc more than the previous year.

The number of crimes recorded in the county is higher than in any other area of the country outside London.

In Bolton, 29,451 crimes were reported over the last 12 months, compared with 28,434 crimes the previous year.

Bolton homeowners appear to be bearing the brunt of the crime spree, with the town recording the highest number of burglaries in any Greater Manchester town.

A total of 5,447 homes were broken into last year, although that is 146 fewer than the previous year. Only the Manchester south area recorded more.

The town may also be becoming a more violent place. The new figures reveal 1,850 woundings and assaults, with only the city divisions of Manchester North and Manchester South recording more.

A breakdown of the crime figures reveal last year a total of three murders in Bolton, 27 rapes - only two of which were not detected - 337 robberies, a staggering 3,064 vehicles stolen, 893 fraud and forgery crimes, 1,831 offences of shoplifting, 175 complaints of arson and 145 drug trafficking offences.

But Bolton continues to fall down Greater Manchester's crime league. Only six years ago the town recorded more crimes than anywhere else in the county. Now Bolton has dropped to third with Salford and Stockport now plagued by more crime.

The town's police officers are also catching more criminals than before. Last year 25.3pc - 7,443 - of all crimes recorded were detected. That is a 3.6pc increase on the previous year's total. The detection rate is higher than in any other town, or area, of the county.

Bolton's police chief, Chief Supt Mel Pelham, believes the rise in crime in Bolton and the rest of Greater Manchester is mainly due to the force introducing new "recording procedures" listing more crimes than in previous years.

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