FIVE people were arrested today when police swooped on a house on a York estate as part of a clampdown on crime in the area.

A team of about 20 officers smashed their way into the three-storey, mid-terrace house in Garth Terrace, Clifton, late this morning, armed with search warrants.

Police said stolen goods had been recovered in the raid and two women and a man were arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Another man who was wanted in connection with an aggravated burglary was also taken into custody, as was another woman who was wanted for failing to answer bail.

Sergeant Dave Kirby, who was at the forefront of today's operation, said: "We want to reduce the fear of crime for the residents of this area.

"The vast majority of the residents of Clifton are hard-working, law-abiding people and by doing this kind of operation we are showing the public that we are responding to the crime in the area.

"We won't tolerate criminal behaviour and we will continue doing this kind of work to target offenders."

A specially-trained drugs dog was brought in to search the property, which police believed to be regularly frequented by heroin users.

The Clifton area suffered seven burglaries in the last 24 hours and some of the stolen property discovered is believed to have come from some of those crimes.

A convoy of police vans and other vehicles swept into neighbouring Wilberforce Avenue early today.

Two teams of officers, some clad in protective gear, used a battering ram to break down the back door, while another team went in through the front.

Prior to the operation, police believed they could have faced finding as many as 20 people in the house.

Police were still searching the property as we went to press this afternoon.

Updated: 16:53 Friday, February 08, 2002