MOTORISTS in parts of west Ipswich have been put on red alert as police crack down on car crime with letters of warning.Officers targeting areas worst hit by car crime have already sent warning notes to motorists in Ashcroft Road, Defoe Road and Dales View Road, advising vehicle owners of action they can take to reduce their chances of falling victim to thieves and vandals.

MOTORISTS in parts of west Ipswich have been put on red alert as police crack down on car crime with letters of warning.

Officers targeting areas worst hit by car crime have already sent warning notes to motorists in Ashcroft Road, Defoe Road and Dales View Road, advising vehicle owners of action they can take to reduce their chances of falling victim to thieves and vandals.

And motorists who have left personal property on display in their vehicles for thieves to see have been traced via their registration plates and sent advice urging them to remove items which "could entice the opportunist thief".

High visibility patrols are also being used as part of Operation Marden – a police drive to tackle Ipswich's car criminals.

The crackdown, which started on February 1, aims to identify those suspected of carrying out motor crime, help vehicle owners not to fall victim to thieves and increase the number of crimes detected.

Police are focussing on parts of the town affected most by the crimewave and have already stepped up patrols in the Bramford Lane area – where vandals wreaked havoc in late January, kicking in cars and throwing bricks at parked vehicles.