Crackdown on festive thieves

Around our region all sorts of people are still drawing up their Christmas shopping list: mums, dads, grans, children... and burglars.

These scavengers wait a bit longer than the rest of us before they collect their presents. Usually until gifts are wrapped and placed around Christmas trees in other people's homes. Then they do their Christmas shopping and ruin family festivities without compunction.

They steal wrapped presents, damage property and leave families devastated by the scars of insecurity.

North Yorkshire Police are taking high profile steps to cut the curse of Christmas theft.

Ryedale Police have launched Operation Yuletide and today warned: "Come to Malton to steal and you'll be caught."

Afraid that small towns can be seen as soft targets, police have raised awareness among shopkeepers to the increased risk of shoplifting at Christmas and have set up a priority phone line to report people seen acting suspiciously in shops.

At York, Police Chief John Lacy has also given a tough message to burglars.

He has promised to disrupt the lives of thieves by calling at their homes at inconvenient times over Christmas.

His philosophy is: burglars make innocent people's lives a misery, so his force will ruin the festivities for thieves.

He has officers who will be on duty earning overtime during the holiday. He intends to use the overtime effectively.

see STORY Festive felons told: 'We're watching you'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.