EAST Lancashire’s top cops have paid personal visits to the area’s most prolific burglars as part of a month-long crack-down on crime.

Superintendent Chris Bith-ell and Chief Inspector Damian Darcy delivered warning letters to five of the area’s most persistent burglars who operate across Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley yesterday.

Twenty-five others who form the ‘top 30’ burglars in Lancashire have been swooped on by senior officers from other police divisions.

Geographic inspectors across the county will also be paying a visit to their area’s most troublesome offenders.

Chief Inspector Darcy, who is leading the operation in Eastern Division, said: “Burglary in Lancashire is at its lowest in 35 years, but we want to keep it that way and this is just one of many tactics aimed at disrupting the activities of our most prolific burglars.

“This type of crime is iconic and has an adverse impact on public confid-ence, not only to victims, but to the wider community.

“There are a small minority of people who are responsible for committing the majority of burglaries.

"The message to them is simple: we know who you are, we know where you live, and if you continue to commit crime, you will be targeted.”

The warning letters are the first phase of Operation Julius, a campaign aiming to reduce burglaries across Lancashire.

Other aspects to be employed will involve filming suspects as they go about their day-to-day lives.

Superintendent Bithell said: “We want burglars to know we are watching them.

“Most intitatives are to counteact a problem, but we have the lowest crime rates for 35 years and we want to keep it that way.”

He added: “It’s not often you get a Chief Inspector and a Superintendent knocking on people’s doors.

“But we know the impact these people have on the community and we want to show them we’re not messing about.

“They won’t like getting these warnings, or being watched.

“But it’s their choice. If they stop offending, they won’t have to worry.”