THIRTY-THREE people were arrested as police officers secretly mingled with festive shopping crowds in a bid to take some of York's most wanted criminals off the streets before Christmas.

As shoppers packed the city centre this weekend searching for festive bargains, dozens of officers were out in plain clothes hunting for offenders.

Criminals are being warned to expect the same treatment again in the run-up to the festive holiday. The 33 arrests came as part of Operation Circle, for offences including burglary, shoplifting, possession of drugs, aggressive begging and failing to attend court or pay fines.

Cells at York police station were completely full by last night, with a special prison bus being used to take some prisoners to Harrogate and Northallerton stations.

Sergeant Martin Metcalfe, who led the operation, said today: "It went really well."

He warned that another such operation would be mounted between now and Christmas.

"We are taking out the main players who are wanted by police and getting them remanded in custody before Christmas," he said.

"It is easier to see the offenders when we are in plain clothes. We are catching wanted people who are passing through the city centre and who usually try and hide from police officers as well as shop lifters in the act. Crime won't be tolerated. We won't give up and we will keep hounding people who are making lives a misery."

He said 15 people were arrested on Friday alone, marking the start of the three-day operation, when at least 20 plain clothed officers were out from 9am until 6pm.

Fourteen officers then descended on known hotspots on Saturday and Sunday.

Sgt Metcalfe said known trouble hotspots around York were targeted, such as the Marygate car park for drug dealing.

Public toilets at Bootham Bar, Coppergate, Tanner Row and Parliament Street were under surveillance for signs of drug misuse, along with Museum Gardens, which is also a haunt of teenage trouble-makers who steal bikes from younger children.

Half of the arrests on Friday were for warrants for failing to attend court for crimes such as burglary.

Four people were arrested for drug misuse, while the rest of the arrests were made up of beggars caught harassing people for money and shoplifters.

Updated: 10:40 Monday, November 29, 2004