EXTRA police are being drafted into rural Darwen as part of a crackdown on thieves.

The operation comes after £5,000 worth of jewellery was stolen from a family home in Chapeltown Road, Turton.

As well as drafting in extra officers at night, plain-clothes officers will be monitoring Edgworth, Entwistle and Turton more frequently during the day.

Automatic number-plate recognition technology will also be used at checkpoints to monitor the roads for any criminals on the move.

A letter-drop has already been completed to make residents aware of the incident as well as to reassure them that police action is being taken.

Although there has just been one burglary, officers want to prevent further incidents of the like seen in Blackburn last year.

In just one month last December, a jewel thief struck eight times in Revidge, Lammack, Pleckgate and Beardwood.

The owner of the Chapeltown Road home has put up a £500 reward for information leading to the return of the items stolen on April 27.

Missing items include a £2,000 pearl necklace with diamonds and a gold clasp, a matching bracelet also worth £2,000 and a distinctive Omega pocket watch dated 1931 worth £500 which was bought for the couple's silver wedding anniversary.

Also stolen was a gents' silver bracelet worth £200 and other ladies' matching silver jewellery sets. The burglars collected as many items as they could carry while the alarm was sounding at the detached family home before being interrupted by a neighbour.

A Black Subaru was seen in the area following the raid.

DC Chris Shaw, of Darwen CID said: "I urge anyone who saw anything on the day or has since seen anyone trying to sell any of the items to come forward."

Anyone with information should contact Darwen CID on 01254 353843 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.