POLICE CAMPAIGN HAILED A SUCCESS

Suffolk police's western area commander, Ch Supt Mick Green, said those
arrested
so far have a total of 450 previous convictions.

"This operation is not simply about targeting these types of individuals
with a view
to locking them up and throwing away the key. What we are trying to do is
change
their lifestyle if there is an opportunity to do it," he said.

"A lot of the people we are targeting are very young. Their previous
convictions show
they are not the most serious of crimes but it is persistent crime and
brings an awful
lot of misery to the victims.

"Early indications are that it has been successful and if it continues to
be successful
this is a tactic I want to continue to employ."

He added that police were also working with the courts in a bid to
encourage more
sentences including drug treatment or testing to be passed. They also hope
extra
resources will be able to further the fight against crime over the next
five years.

The campaign has also won the support of a former drug addict and
persistent offender.
John not his real name said yesterday he had transformed his life after a
15-year long
addiction and the clampdown could help others to follow his example.

"You are dealing with a group of people who predominantly will not change
their ways
but even if 25% change that is 25% who previously would not have done so,"
he said.

"I was continually being arrested and presented at police stations with a
known and
obvious drug problem but I wasn't given any kind of advice or treatment or
information
about drugs. Now people are being given information about drug treatment."

Police are appealing for anyone who has had property stolen to contact them
to see if
they can recover any of their goods.