PENNINE Police today warned car thieves there was "no hiding place" as they launched a tough crackdown on autocrime.

The division, which covers Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, unveiled Operation Freedom after an increase in car crime.

Officers said 328 incidents were reported in the area in the past two weeks alone. Burnley was worst hit, with motorists reporting 131 reported thefts of, or from, vehicles.

A dedicated team of police officers and detectives will work on Operation Freedom using a range of tactics to help catch offenders and stem the rising tide of autocrime.

One of the tactics will be to name and shame convicted thieves, publishing their photographs along with the sentences given to them.

Police are also looking at publishing better descriptions of suspects they want to question in relation to car crime offences and perhaps even CCTV pictures of offences being committed in a bid to speed up identification and arrest. Other tactics will include:

The use of rat-trap cars: vehicles containing specialist surveillance equipment which will catch thieves red handed.

Extra high-visibility patrols in areas affected by vehicle theft, criminal damage to vehicles and theft from vehicles.

Publication of names and locations of some of the division's safer car parks in a bid to encourage visitors to use those as opposed to high risk car parks.

Undercover surveillance of hot spot areas.

Distribution of crime prevention literature and warning posters in affected areas.

Superintendent Steve Hartley, operations manager for Pennine Division, said: "A lot of hard work has already been done to counteract car crime, much of it focusing on crime prevention.

"However, we will now be putting the spotlight firmly on offenders.

"Our aim is to actively target known and suspected offenders and to raise the risk of them being caught.

"We want them to be afraid of committing autocrime, just as many are afraid of committing burglary and robbery because they know the stakes are high and the chances are they will be caught."

He said: "Our message to offenders is clear:

"If you are committing car crime, then it really is only a matter of time before we catch up with you."

If anybody has any information relating to autocrime call Burnley police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.