NEARLY three dozen thieves have been arrested in a police crackdown in Ipswich it emerged today.Officers have launched Operation Enterprise to target the increasing number of burglars and those committing vehicle crimes.

NEARLY three dozen thieves have been arrested in a police crackdown in Ipswich it emerged today.

Officers have launched Operation Enterprise to target the increasing number of burglars and those committing vehicle crimes.

Over the past ten days 35 key offenders have been arrested and four warrants have been carried out at addresses in Ipswich.

To ease the problem, disruption tactics are now under way. Officers are carrying out curfew and conditional bail checks, following up on outstanding evidence, cold calling and executing warrants.

Operation Enterprise is part of the Suffolk First campaign that aims to make Suffolk the safest county in England by 2006.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cole, leading the around-the-clock operation said: "We are not prepared to tolerate the misery these crimes cause to victims. Many of these offences are carried out by persistent offenders and we intend to make life very difficult for them.

"Our main priorities are to focus our attention on those identified suspects and persistent offenders and, where evidence exists, to arrest them.

"We're drawing on squads of additional police officers from across the Suffolk force to support this operation. As well as carrying out high level, high visibility policing we will be engaging in covert surveillance tactics and also providing crime prevention advice to potential victims.

"Operation Enterprise will be one of the most intensive periods of pro-active police activity Ipswich has ever seen."