THIS weekend the clocks go back. Soon we will be travelling to work in the dark and returning home in the dark.

For most of us, the lack of daylight is a wearisome fact of life. But for some, it heralds the season to be jolly.

They are the car thieves, the burglars, the street robbers, the drug dealers - society's rats.

Rats thrive in the dark. Sewer-like shadows provide the perfect cover for their crimes. But today a campaign was launched to shine a light on the rats and remove them from our streets.

Operation Ratcatcher is not purely a police initiative. It is a joint effort between the police, the Safer York Partnership, the Evening Press - and you.

The police cannot stop crime on their own. We all share responsibility for improving our community.

Officers are often aware of the names of those committing crimes in their neighbourhood. Without more evidence they cannot act.

So it is down to every civic-minded resident to report crime and suspicious activity. Only then can the police start building a case against the criminals.

Many people are understandably reluctant to make that call for fear of reprisals. Others are concerned that calling the police is a waste of time, that nothing gets done. Unhappily this perception was reinforced by reports in the summer of York police failing to respond to emergency calls.

But both these concerns have been addressed by Operation Ratcatcher.

Firstly, callers to the Crimestoppers number can remain anonymous.

Secondly, the police have a team in place which will take time to talk to callers, assess the information, match it to other evidence, and act on it accordingly.

Meanwhile, the Safer York Partnership is offering practical advice on what we can do to make it harder for the rats to thrive.

Recently the reported crime rate has increased. That trend could be halted by the end of Operation Ratcatcher - if we all do our bit.

Updated: 10:08 Tuesday, October 22, 2002