A CAMPAIGN to tackle house burglaries has seen a 25 per cent reduction in the crime.

The month-long Operation Judgement, carried out by Northumbria Police in the Washington area of Wearside, resulted in the fall in break-ins when compared with the same period last year.

It involved a combination of computer analysis, extra patrols and targeting known offenders.

Detective Inspector Roger Ford, of Washington CID, said: "This operation demonstrates that by concentrating our resources in the right places at the right time, we can make a difference.

"We are not complacent and, as the nights draw darker, we would ask householders to continue to be vigilant for anything suspicious.

"The majority of criminals look for easy pickings. By taking a few simple precautions, they can be stopped."

Householders are advised to fit locks on doors and windows, and keep them locked at night, fit timer switches on lights and radios, remove valuable ornaments from windowsills, and mark property with an ultraviolet pen.