MORE than FOUR in every 100 car drivers can expect to have their vehicle stolen or broken into in Bolton. That is how serious the problem has become. The total number of auto crime incidents recorded in Bolton from the beginning of April to the end of August last year was a staggering 3,933 - which works out at 4.5 per 100 vehicles.

And that is not accounting for the fact many drivers no longer bother to report car break ins or minor damage.

Where you live within the Bolton boundary governs how likely you are to be burgled, suffer at the hands of vandals, be a victim of violence, or be affected by the drugs culture.

But car crime is more complicated and governed as much by where you park as where you live.

Nevertheless the most frequent place that cars are targeted is outside people's homes at night and the survey breaks down where the worst places for car crime are.

The worst blackspot is the area around Farnworth Park where there were 129 incidents during the five months.

Next came Farnworth town centre with 91 incidents, then Great Lever with 61 incidents, then Bromwich Street and Manchester Road area of Bolton with 46 incidents.

Information supplied by Bolton Magistrates Court shows, however, that the thieves are not having it all their own way.

In 1997, 169 people appeared in court for auto crime offences,

Thirty two were jailed, 27 sent to Young Offenders' Institutions, 17 went to the Crown Court for sentence.

Most of the rest were either fined or given probation.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.