RESIDENTS in the South Bank area of York will be able to voice their crime fears to police as part of a new initiative.

Police officers will man the Police On Doorsteps (POD) van in Butcher Terrace next week and invite residents to pay them a visit.

They will be joined by ward councillors Sandy Fraser and Dave Merrett, as well as representatives from Age Concern and York Community Watch.

PC Dave White, Micklegate ward manager, said the scheme was the second phase of the Burglary Reduction initiative, which recently saw CCTV cameras installed in private homes considered at risk from burglars.

The council's alleygating officer, Steve Bushby, is also due to be at the van, to answer residents' questions.

An area of South Bank has been put forward as an alleygating zone, after it was found to suffer from high levels of burglary.

PC White said: "This is an opportunity for residents to come and talk to ward managers regarding policing of the area - reducing crime and the fear of crime."

As well as airing their concerns to officers, residents can also ask for a "domestic survey" - a police-run service in which officers visit homes and offer security advice.

Sandy Fraser, Micklegate ward councillor, said he fully supported the scheme. He said: "We very much welcome and support this.

"We can make South Bank a less attractive area for people to commit crime.

"I think anything that reduces crime in the city, and particularly the fear of crime, is very welcome."

As part of the initiative, 3,750 "crime reduction packs" have been sent to South Bank residents.

The packs contain ultra-violet marker pens so householders can write their postcode on valuable property, making it easy to identify if taken in a burglary and aiding its recovery by police.

Literature on how to secure homes and beat bogus callers is also included in the packs, as well as leaflets from Age Concern and York Community Watch.

The Police On Doorsteps van will be at the bottom of Butcher Terrace, off Bishopthorpe Road, on the following days: March 31, from 6pm to 7.30pm; April 1, from 6pm to 7.30pm; and April 3, from 11am to 4pm.

Updated: 10:25 Thursday, March 25, 2004