REPEAT offenders from across Suffolk are the focus of a new police crackdown which has seen 17 people arrested in the last two weeks.Operation Endurance is a long-term initiative to concentrate on persistent offenders within our community.

REPEAT offenders from across Suffolk are the focus of a new police crackdown which has seen 17 people arrested in the last two weeks.

Operation Endurance is a long-term initiative to concentrate on persistent offenders within our community. Home Office research suggests that, at any one time, ten percent of offenders will be committing half of all serious crime.

Since its launch earlier this month the scheme has been responsible for the arrest of a number of offenders from across the county.

In Felixstowe, a 36-year old man has been arrested in connection with the possession of a number of class A drugs. A 32-year-old man was also arrested and charged for possession of cannabis.

In Kesgrave, property was recovered after a warrant was carried out and in Woodbridge two persistent offenders have been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.

A number of youngsters have also been arrested in the Lowestoft area in connection with charges of theft, interfering with traffic equipment and causing a danger to road users.

Acting Detective Chief Insp Phil Aves said: "We know a large proportion of crime is caused by a relatively small number of persistent offenders. With Operation Endurance we have a new approach to tackling them through the effective targeting of resources which, coupled with closer working with partner agencies within the criminal justice system, can have an impact on reducing crime in the county.

"Officers are continuing to use intelligence to proactively target offenders who are committing crime and work is ongoing to disrupt their criminal behaviour."