A STAGGERING total of 7,000 cars were either stolen or broken into in Bolton last year. New police figures reveal that more than 3,000 vehicles were taken in 1997 - many never to be seen again - and 4,000 were damaged in break-ins. The value of cars stolen is estimated to be more than £500,000.

The alarming car total accounts for more than a quarter of all crimes recorded by Bolton Police.

Although figures have been falling steadily over the last six years, Bolton still has one of the highest car Crime rates in Greater Manchester.

But the total is comparable with many other large industrial towns in Britain, police say.

The town's police chiefs say that, like most other crimes, the car crime epidemic is being committed in the main by a relatively small group of thieves.

But Bolton Police community safety officer, PC Stuart Ashall, says of all the crimes committed each year, car crime is probably one of the easiest to prevent.

The crime prevention specialist says good security is the main deterrent. Alarms and locking devices will slow down a thief and force the crook to equip himself with "tools" which he will find hard to conceal.

In an effort to stem the epidemic, Bolton Crime Prevention Panel is staging a Car Security Week in Bolton from March 23-28.

Chairman Joan Johnson said: "The car crime figures may well compare with other large towns in the North-west but we cannot relax our vigilance.

"We must act now to collectively have an effect on car crime in Bolton. The problem belongs to us all. We are all victims of this mindless crime."

Police crime prevention experts believe Bolton's car crime figures can be reduced dramatically with more help from motorists. PC Ashall said many of the theft prevention measures cost nothing at all.

He urged car owners to ensure all doors and windows are locked and their cars secure. Other suggested measures included fitting steering lock devices; not leaving valuables on display (the theft of mobile phones now accounts for a staggering 40 per cent of all car break-ins); removing radio and cassette players if possible; retracting car aerials and security "etching" glass surfaces; leaving cars in garages at home and trying to use supervised car parks rather than dimly-lit or quiet side streets.

PC Ashall also urged car owners to fit alarm/immobilisers, if possible choose vehicles fitted with deadlocks, locking fuel caps and locking wheel nuts and consider fitting tracker devices which enable police to trace a stolen car.

The Bolton Crime Prevention Panel - which consists of business people, representatives from local organisations, the local authority and the police - is determined to help reduce the car crime figures.

Car Security Week will be launched on Monday with members of the panel visiting local garages, in addition to car accessory and security firms distributing crime prevention leaflets.

Panel volunteers will take their campaign to local shoppers on Saturday March 28 when the crime prevention caravan will be on Bolton's Victoria Square.

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