The fight against car thieves in the district is being won - with reported incidents of auto crime falling by a massive 14 per cent since a major partnership group started.

Basildon District Council, Basildon Police, and the owners of car parks throughout the district have been working closely together over the last two years in an effort to combat auto crime.

When the Basildon Auto Crime Strategy Group (BAS Group) was formed in 1997 auto crime made up a staggering 40 per cent (5,723 offences) of the recorded crimes in the Basildon district - now it has gone down to 24 per cent (3,875).

The BAS Group was set up as an initiative under the Basildon District Community Safety Partnership, and is now a key part of the Basildon District Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy.

The aim of the group, which holds regular meetings, is to work together on a host of initiatives to reduce car crime and help play a part in making the district a safer place to live, work and visit.

Basildon Police Supt Denis Sheppard, a member of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Leadership Group, said: "The results the BAS Group has achieved are exceptional and I would like to congratulate everyone who has been involved in the initiatives they have worked on.

"Auto crime has been a problem in our district but this gives a strong message to prospective car thieves that we are successfully fighting back, and people should also be aware that we will continue to strive to further reduce the levels of auto crime."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.