SNEAK-IN burglaries in Darlington have been dramatically reduced thanks to a police campaign launched last month.

Darlington Police's Operation Velvet is aimed at reducing home and garage break-ins, especially during the long winter nights.

Information leaflets are being distributed around the town giving advice to people about protecting their homes and property.

Latest figures suggest the operation has been a success with a 20 per cent drop in house burglaries in the town in the last few weeks.

Before the initiative began more than 60 per cent of house burglaries in Darlington, were committed by sneak-in thieves who got in because a door or a ground floor window was left unlocked, but this has been slashed to just 25 per cent since Operation Velvet was launched.

The police have also been appealing for information about suspicious people in their neighbourhoods.

This extra vigilance has also paid off with a number of people being arrested in connection with burglaries in the Haughton and Redhall areas of Darlington, including what the police describe as 'two prolific criminals.'

Police are asking people not to become complacent and to keep up the good work. Copies of the leaflet can be obtained from Darlington Town Hall and North Road and Cockerton police stations.