TWO once popular targets for crooks have driven out car crime.

The turn-around at the university hospitals of Hartlepool and North Tees, Stockton, has earned health chiefs national praise.

Both staff and visitors' vehicles left in the hospital car parks were once regularly stolen or broken into.

Following the spending of £1.3m on a package of security measures, car crime has been virtually consigned to history.

Ron Hogg, deputy chief constable of Cleveland Police, yesterday appealed to other organisations and companies in the Teesside area to follow the example set by the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust and help themselves and the police to crack crime.

Mr Hogg said: "When you think cars coming to a hospital are parked up for a long time, that makes an ideal hot-spot for crime. We are charged with trying to reduce car crime. We could do that better if we got a response like this from everyone.

"I cannot commend the hospital enough for the work they have put in," he said.

The trust has received an Association of Chief Police Officers' secure car parks award.

Mr Hogg said: "To receive an ACPO award, there have to be stringent standards. It is about good management of the scheme, security surveillance, correct lighting and so forth."

He called for businesses to work in partnership with police, to produce and deliver an anti-crime package that works.

He was at the University Hospital of North Tees yesterday, to present trust chief executive Joan Rogers with the award.