A BOY aged 14 is among 17 people charged during the first week of an operation targetting theft and burglaries in the run-up to Christmas.

Darlington Police launched Operation Fernhill to remove key offenders from the town during the festive period.

Officers from various teams are working on the operation, which started at the end of last month and will run until Christmas.

It is targeting specific suspects and includes a number of spot checks and responses to intelligence at known hotspots. The main focus is on burglary, theft from vehicles and metal theft offences.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin We ir, of Darlington CID, said: "This was great work, with different teams working together showing professionalism and dedication to the task. The operation demonstrated the value of targeting the right suspects, and the effectiveness of both stop checks and persistent and detailed investigation.

"We want people in Darlington to enjoy a safe and secure Christmas and hope this operation will go a long way towards achieving that."

From arrests made so far, 17 people have been charged and several others bailed pending further inquiries.

Three men, aged 30, 26 and 22, were arrested and charged with metal theft on November 28. The next day, police arrested two men, aged 43 and 39, on suspicion of handling a quantity of stolen BT cable.

On November 30, three boys - aged 14, 16 and 17 - were charged with house burglary.

The same day a 32-year-old man was charged with theft of BT cable, and a 19-year-old man charged with theft of a scooter and arson. A 48-yearold man was bailed on suspicion of burglary.

The most active day so far was on Friday, December 2, when nine men were arrested with seven of those charged.

A 30-year-old was charged with going equipped and handling stolen goods, a 28-yearold with going equipped, taking a vehicle and possessing drugs and a 27 and 26-year-old with theft. Three men, aged 19, 29 and 30, were charged with house burglary and another burglary. Two more men, aged 31 and 32, were bailed on suspicion for metal theft.