CRIMINALS face a tough week as police reveal plans to crack down on them over the coming days.

Officers throughout West Yorkshire are carrying out a series of co-ordinated operations to catch travelling criminals, arrest known villains and increase patrols in crime hotspots.

Checkpoints using automatic number plate recognition computer technology will be placed throughout West Yorkshire and show up suspicious vehicles immediately.

The vehicles may be untaxed, uninsured or known to be used by travelling criminals and will be stopped.

A similar week of action in December led to more than 400 arrests and the number of crimes reported to police in the county fell.

Figures for the first week of December, 2003, show burglaries down by 213 offences and vehicle crime by 279 offences when compared to the same week in 2002.

Assistant Chief Constable John Sampson said: "The aim of the Winter Crime Crackdown was to support recent reductions in priority crime, in particular robbery, burglary and vehicle crime.

"The first phase succeeded in doing just that.

"This success is due to the consistent hard work and commitment of every division and a relentless determination to improve performance."

The second week of action is now under way.

Police chiefs have pledged that planned arrests and high-profile policing will disrupt criminal activity and also find prolific offenders.

The action includes:

* Specialist teams targeting suspects thought to be involved in priority crimes, particularly drugs and firearms.

* Extra patrols in crime hotspot areas.

* Officers will work alongside the DVLA and Vehicle Inspectorate to focus on organised crime and car theft.

Mr Sampson added: "We are hopeful this programme of round- the-clock activity will have a positive impact on crime figures and see yet further reductions in the number of people affected by crime.

"This week, anyone using a vehicle with no documents, using a vehicle to commit crime or using a vehicle they know to be stolen can expect to be stopped and prosecuted."

In Dewsbury the focus will fall on burglars.

Det Chief Insp Aidan Byrne said: "We will be focusing our efforts on disrupting criminal activity and locating prolific offenders, particularly those suspected of being involved in burglaries.

"Warrants will be executed where we believe stolen property is being held and people wanted on warrant will be arrested and dealt with."