AN ELDERLY couple reckon they live in Bolton's most burgled home . . . after being targeted 27 times in 10 years! Jessie and Paul Convery have been victims of a catalogue of crimes which has seen their house ransacked three times, garage and shed broken into on countless occasions and car windows smashed.

In the latest burglary hundreds of pounds worth of frozen food was stolen from a freezer in their garage on Monday night along with a high pressure hose and other tools.

Now the desperate couple are considering installing a CCTV system and security bars in the windows of their semi-detached house in Marsh Lane, Farnworth.

Their pre-Christmas burglary blow comes just three weeks after Jessie, 66, who is registered disabled, suffered a slight stroke while on holiday in Spain.

Mrs Convery, who is still recovering, is worried that the extra stress caused by their crime-hit property will lead to more ill-health.

She said: "These people are just thieving rats. I would like to see them have their hands chopped off. If I catch any of them, I will kill them, that's how I feel about it all. "I have even walked around the house with a knife because I have been so scared.

"This is just killing me. I can't stop shaking. I'm frightened of them coming in. We lock ourselves in the house so they can't get to us." In the last 10 years two televisions, a video, radio and sentimental family jewellery have all been stolen.

Tools and lawnmowers have been grabbed from out-buildings and the brazen thiefs even made off with a pair of front gates and a security light!

The Converys even decided not to report some of the break-ins to the police and their insurance company for fear their premiums would go through the roof.

A Bolton police crime prevention officer was due to visit Mr and Mrs Convery this week.

Sergeant Bill Crittenden, of Bolton's crime management unit, said he had not heard of a worse case and urged townsfolk to report every crime they are victims of.

He added: "Police resources rely on crimes being reported. If that is not done then we cannot investigate it further."

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