PROLIFIC criminals are being targeted by Suffolk Police as part of a major crackdown to curb the misery caused to their victims.Operation Endurance heralds a new partnership approach between police and other criminal justice agencies to ensure that persistent offenders are dealt with in a more co-ordinated, effective and speedy manner.

PROLIFIC criminals are being targeted by Suffolk Police as part of a major crackdown to curb the misery caused to their victims.

Operation Endurance heralds a new partnership approach between police and other criminal justice agencies to ensure that persistent offenders are dealt with in a more co-ordinated, effective and speedy manner.

The scheme will see the police target persistent offenders active in Suffolk, with officers in every sector of the county having a role to play.

A hit-list list of the most prolific offenders has already been drawn up using a set of criteria including previous convictions, arrests and intelligence submissions connected to crime.

Persistent offenders are identified as individuals committing a disproportionate amount of crime in Suffolk, including burglary, vehicle crime and drug offences.

Home Office research suggests that, at any one time, 10% of offenders will be committing half of all serious crime.

Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull, who is overseeing Operation Endurance, said: "The vast majority of crime is actually caused by a relatively small number of persistent offenders.

"They are committing the type of crime which causes a great deal of misery and inconvenience to people - ranging from house burglary and car crime to anti-social behaviour. A significant proportion of this is driven by drug addiction.

"Of course, targeting persistent offenders is not new. What is new is our approach to dealing with them through more effective targeting of resources coupled with closer working with partner agencies within the criminal justice system."

Chris Yule, chief crown prosecutor and head of the local criminal justice board, said: "This operation is an example of the new approach to joined up working that will take the most prolific criminals off our streets, making Suffolk a much safer place in which to live. My CPS Lawyers will be providing advice at an early stage to ensure that arrests are followed by well conducted prosecutions. This operation will further help us to narrow the justice gap, and build public confidence in the Criminal Justice System."

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