NORTH-EAST motorists are being targeted in a Home Office campaign aimed at cracking car crime.

A £5m advertising campaign - Don't Give Them An Easy Ride - aims to build on successful police efforts to cut the number of cars taken and broken into the region.

Vehicle crime in the Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria police areas has dropped in the past ten years from 103,484 recorded thefts and break-ins in 1991 to 44,069 in 2001.

Middlesbrough has been chosen as one of the first areas in the country where the campaign will be laun-ched.

Drivers will be warned to guard against theft by never leaving valuables on show and always locking their vehicles.

Pay and display tickets in car parks in the town will be used to advertise the campaign message, which will also go out on television and radio.

Alan Brown, who coordinates Home Office campaigns to cut crime in the North-East, said vehicle crime in the region was still a "very serious problem" despite it having more than halved in the past ten years.

He said: "Nationally, there are over two and a half million vehicle-related thefts and it accounts for nearly a fifth of all recorded crime, costing about £3.4bn a year.

"This campaign presents practical and effective steps to motorists which can stop criminals targeting their cars.

"Such tips include removing all belongings, locking cars in all circumstances and choosing a car park which meets the standards of the police Secured Car Park scheme.

"The campaign stresses that most car criminals are opportunist and motorists can reduce their risk of car crime by taking just a few simple steps."