Police were out in force across the Spen Valley, Birstall and Birkenshaw today as part of a huge crackdown on burglary.

As part of the Dewsbury Division's year-long campaign against burglary, officers were targeting known offenders and executing warrants.

Increased police patrols across the Dewsbury Division, covering the Spen Valley, will continue tomorrow and Friday with community constables, special constables, neighbourhood wardens and town centre officers providing extra reassurance to residents.

Officers were visiting homes and where they find windows and doors insecure they will hand out crime prevention advice to residents. The new mobile police station will be located across the division.

A police spokesman said domestic burglary figures in the division had fallen over the last five years, except for during April 2001 to March 2002, when a pair of prolific burglars - who have since been dealt with - struck.

From April 1998 to March 1999, there were 2,719 domestic burglaries. In the same period in 1999 to 2000, there were 2,454; in 2001 to 2002 there were 2,047; in 2001 to 2002 there were 2,342 and in 2002 to 2003 there were 2007.

Cleckheaton's new beat bobby, PC Steve Blakeley, 47, has taken over the town centre patch and, working with Spenborough Chamber of Trade, hopes to clamp down on burglaries, damage and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

At a recent meeting of Spenborough Chamber of Trade, PC Blakeley said that in February this year there were 34 burglaries in Cleckheaton town centre, 20 thefts from motor vehicles, four thefts of motor vehicles, three thefts from shops and 14 other thefts. In March, there were 13 commercial burglaries in the town centre, three crimes of damage, two thefts from a shop, 16 thefts from motor vehicles and 11 thefts of motor vehicles.

Meanwhile, traffic officers from Heckmondwike were targeting disqualified drivers by using the force's Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system.