POLICE have set a series of snares across the region to catch thieves who prey on motorists.

Rat trap vehicles are being left in crime hot-spots in the North-East and North Yorkshire to entice crooks into thinking they have found an easy target.

Once inside the specially adapted cars and vans, the intruders will have trouble getting out.

Some vehicles can be driven, but just for a few yards, while others will transmit homing signals leading police to centres that deal in stolen cars and parts.

The sting is part of Operation Outlaw, a joint initiative between Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Cumbria and British Transport Police.

More than 62,000 vehicles were stolen or broken into in the region last year.

Detective Constable Wallace Sayer, of Cleveland Police, said: "Rat trap vehicles have been used by police forces in the past with spectacular results.

"Many vehicles are fitted with sophisticated electronics, and systems which can lead us to garages and lock-ups, which are used to change vehicle identities, or cutting shops producing a range of parts to be sold on nationwide."

He said: "There are problems with joy riders, and vehicles are still being stolen to order, but the biggest problem is theft from vehicles.

"The drive for a £10 bag of drugs is leading addicts to steal anything and it doesn't have to be of high value."

Yesterday, another crackdown was launched against the region's car crooks as part of a national crime reduction campaign.

The Government unveiled a mass three-year advertising programme encouraging motorists to concentrate on vehicle security, with the aim of cutting car crime by 30 per cent by 2004.

Three television adverts, seen for the first time last night, form the backbone of the crime prevention drive, backed up by leaflets and posters.

The Sea Hotel, South Shields, was chosen to hold the regional launch because it is one of 32 North-East car parks with secured status, alongside the Prince Bishops shopping centre, Durham City, and St Mary's car park, Sunderland.

Research published yesterday showed that stolen cars that are never recovered cost motorists an average of £2,190, while the estimated cost to the country is £3.5bn.

The car most likely to be stolen is a pre-1984 Toyota Carina, while the least likely are people carriers such as the Ford Galaxy.

Car crime will be on the agenda at the Association of Chief Police Officers' conference, at the Holiday Inn, Seaton Burn, Northumberland, today.