A CRACKDOWN on the county’s most prolific burglars has led to 18 offenders being sentenced to a total of 56 years in prison in 2014.

Dorset Police’s priority crime team, based in Weymouth and Bournemouth, specialises in solving acquisitive crime such as burglary and vehicle crime.

Detective Inspector Andy Dilworth, of Dorset Police’s Priority Crime Team, said: “These prolific offenders are just a handful of burglars dealt with by the team this year as part of the ongoing Operation Castle initiative.

“Their offending has caused misery to homeowners and we hope the sentences handed out by the courts send out a very clear message that we will not cease in targeting known burglars. If you commit this crime in Dorset – we will be after you.

“I would like to reassure residents that reducing burglary is a Force priority and dwelling burglary has fallen by 14.9 per cent in the last year, with 168 fewer homes broken into and victims.”

Dorset Police will be using a range of tactics during the Christmas and New Year period in a bid to reduce burglaries in the county – part of the Force’s Christmas campaign ‘Don’t let thieves ruin your Christmas’.

They will target suspected offenders, step up patrols in vulnerable areas and target handlers of stolen goods.

In December 2013 and January 2014, Dorset Police made 138 arrests during their Christmas campaign.

DI Dilworth added: “During Operation Castle we will continue to focus on targeting suspected offenders and work in partnership with other agencies such as probation and the health service. We have recently introduced a voluntary electronic GPS tagging system for our prolific offenders to assist their rehabilitation.

“I am urging the public to help us continue to reduce burglary offences in Dorset by making it hard for offenders to target their property.

“There are some simple crime prevention steps people can take to help reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime.

“Ensure valuables and popular electrical items such as tablets and laptops are not left on display and that all windows and doors are securely locked when you leave.

“My final message to the public is – do not be complacent. If you see someone acting suspiciously in your area, please call us on 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress so we can send officers and investigate.”

Security advice can be found on the Crime Prevention Portal on the Dorset Police website - http://CrimePrevention.dorset.police.uk.