OPERATION Ratcatcher today won praise from North Yorkshire Police's second-in-command for playing a vital role in getting communities across York to unite against crime this winter.

The force's deputy chief constable, Peter Walker, said the winter crime crackdown, which is backed by the Evening Press, Safer York Partnership, North Yorkshire Police, and Crimestoppers, proved partnerships were the way ahead in the fight against crime.

Mr Walker, who is in charge of operations across the county, said: "We are grateful for the support given to us by the Evening Press and also for the hard work of a lot of other people, including our crime and disorder reduction partners at Safer York Partnership. This operation shows that you cannot deal with criminality effectively without information coming in from people in the community."

The joint initiative has given people in York the opportunity to tip off the police anonymously about criminals in their area, using the dedicated Crimestoppers number - 0800 555 111.

The campaign, which was launched six weeks ago, has so far seen 51 tip-offs passed to the police - a massive rise compared to the handful of calls Crimestoppers would normally receive from the city over that time.

Some of these tip-offs were used as the basis for a string of police raids across the city which resulted in 14 arrests, and the recovery of drugs and stolen goods worth thousands of pounds.

More than 30 suspected criminals are also under investigation by police as a result of the tip-offs.

Mr Walker said: "I think it is entirely proper to shift the concern about crime from the community to the criminals. Criminals in York can beware at the moment."

But, he added, it was important for people across the city to play their part in the campaign in other ways.

"I think it always has been, and always will be, the case that the police cannot operate in isolation. We operate in communities and communities give us information. People can really make a difference just by making one phone call to Crimestoppers.

"But also, communities need to recognise their own responsibilities for reducing the opportunities for criminals. We are constantly amazed at people leaving valuables on show in their cars or leaving their homes unattended and insecure. It is just as important that communities help to reduce the opportunities for criminals as well as providing us with information."

Updated: 11:52 Friday, December 06, 2002