DURHAM Police has joined the region's other forces in launching the biggest ever crackdown on vehicle crime seen in the north.

Operation Outlaw is aimed at catching the organised criminals responsible for more than 60,000 vehicle thefts or break-ins last year.

The Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, and North-umbria forces have combined with Cumbria and British Transport Police to mount the month-long initiative.

Officers have been exchanging information about known vehicle thieves, who will be targeted throughout the four weeks of the campaign, in a string of cross-border operations on the region's main routes.

Premises the police suspect are being used to store stolen vehicles or parts will be raided.

Areas identified as crime hot-spots, such as car parks at main rail stations, will be monitored. Efforts to catch the criminals will be backed by crime prevention measures, including security advice leaf-lets distributed by Crimest-oppers

Operation Outlaw covers an area of 9,000sq miles in an area where 22,000 vehicles were stolen and 40,000 broken into between April last year and March this year.

Locally and nationally only 30 per cent of stolen vehicles are recovered.

In Durham, four-wheel drive vehicles are being targeted for their value and parts.

A total of 9,432 vehicles were stolen or broken into in County Durham between April 1999 and March this year.

Detectives have also noticed a thriving secondhand trade in scooters and side-impact or steering wheel airbags.

Police fear motorists buying secondhand airbags may be putting their lives at risk.

The operation is being co-ordinated by Det Supt David Grey, head of Durham CID.

He said: "Vehicle crime is a huge problem which cuts across force boundaries.

"Many vehicle thieves think they can exist outside the law and won't be caught, but over the next few weeks they will be in for a rude awakening.

"We have a number of tactics and equipment at our disposal, all of which will be deployed during the next month.

"Every force taking part is making a determined effort to put the criminals on the run during this operation and make life as difficult for them as we can."

People are urged to call Crimestoppers free on 0800 555111 with information on vehicle crime