AN elite unit set up in east Cleveland is putting the brakes on car crime.

The five-strong street crime unit started its covert operation throughout Langbaurgh three months ago, thanks to Government funding, with a mission to tackle auto crime in the area.

They have detected almost 100 crimes, locked up 120 people, created a 28 per cent reduction in the theft of motor vehicles, and a 13 per cent reduction in theft from motor vehicles.

Detective Sergeant Claire Humble heads the team of PCs Michael Pain, Kenny Clark, Heather Close and Graham Fletcher.

She said: "Our mission is to disrupt and arrest. It is a small number of people who are responsible for auto crime in the area and we know who they are.

"Our operations are all intelligence led. We do lots of covert, undercover work. Our policy is to drive them off the streets, and it is working. We've had lots of arrests.

"The people who commit vehicle crime know we exist and are more wary, but it shows we are targeting the right people."

Before the unit was launched, 232 vehicles were stolen in a three-and-a-half month period.

That has since dropped to 167, and theft from motor vehicles has fallen from 415 to 360.