CAR criminals in Darlington are being advised by police not to bother breaking into vehicles as part of a campaign.

Police are issuing motorists with yellow stickers to place in their cars which inform thieves that all valuables have been removed.

They hope the stickers will help reduce the number of car break-ins by up to 60 per cent.

Inspector Paul Unsworth, from the town's Community Safety Partnership, said: "We still have a big problem with thefts from motor vehicles in Darlington.

"A lot of it is preventable. What we want is for people to stop leaving items on display in their cars, be it on the seats or in a foot well.

"Thieves will see a coat on the back seat of a car and although they don't want the coat, they'll break into the vehicle to see if there is a wallet in the pocket.

"They will cause hundreds of pounds worth of damage, all for nothing, and leave the motorist with a big problem."

The stickers have a checklist to reminds drivers to put property out of sight.

Since September, police in Darlington have written to 1,200 motorists who have left items on display in their cars.

The stickers are part of Operation Tannin, a campaign launched by police chiefs after they were instructed by the Home Office to seek to reduce the number of cars stolen, damaged or broken into in Darlington.