A SPATE of vehicle crime around the Teignmouth and Dawlish area, has prompted a police crackdown.

Thefts from cars and vans has increased in the two towns and surrounding villages, and now officers are putting on extra patrols and using covert capture cars to try and catch the culprits.

Chief Insp Chris Shaw emphasised that the public could help by taking basic security measures.

If police spot any valuables being left in vehicles, a letter will automatically be sent to the owner, warning them to take more care.

'There has been a steady increase in this type of crime over the last few months and now it has got worse, with about one a night being reported,' he said.

'We want to stop it escalating any further and a special measures are now under way with more patrols and covert operations.'

Inspector Shaw pointed out there were several relatively easy steps motorists could take to reduce the risk of being targeted.

'The best solution is keep a car in a locked garage, but this is not always possible in many cases and vehicles have to be left on the drive or street.

'The most important precaution is to make sure vehicles are locked at all times when left.

'No items of any value should be left on display, not even in the glove box. Always try and park in a visible area and switch on any security or other lights that are nearby."

Inspector Shaw said that as car security became more sophisticated, really determined thieves were stealing the keys from garages or homes so they could just unlock the doors and grab valuables.

There were no particular hotspots in the area and a wide variety of roads were being targeted.

If anybody spotted suspicious behaviour around vehicles, they should immediately dial 999 and inform the police, rather than waiting until next day. Officers had a better chance of making arrests if they were told right away about a possible crime.

Patrol officers who see valuable items in parked cars, are arranging for warning letters to be sent to the registered keepers, along with a leaflet giving security tips and advice.

In the early hours of Tuesday, a resident of Lake Avenue, Teignmouth, telephoned police to report a man behaving suspiciously at his home. Police immediately went to the scene and arrested a 19-year-old local man on suspicion of burglary and vehicle crime. He is now on police bail while further inquires are carried out.