ADVER reporter Tom Seaward spent an evening with the police in the Eldene area. This is his report on the shift.

I EXPECTED the 'blues and twos', all lights blazing, tearing through the streets of east Swindon in the back of a police car.

What I got was a leisurely ride in a Vauxhall and a fascinating insight into a hidden world.

I was following a dozen officers from Wiltshire Police as they embarked on an operation to try and reduce car crime in Eldene.

Police have responded to residents’ crime fears with more patrols, drug warrants and targeted operations.

Beat manager for Swindon South Sgt David Tippetts told his officers they’d be testing car door handles and checking cars for valuables like sat navs or change – easy pickings for thieves.

Later, police in cars and on foot would patrol the warren-like footpaths that cross Eldene, hunting for gangs committing anti-social behaviour.

For the second half of the night I joined PCSO Dean Tilling on a tour of Eldene, Walcot and Parks.

The 27-year-old, who has been patrolling east Swindon for three years, said just a few people could be behind the spate of car break-ins but it takes a huge effort to bring them to justice.

Last year, Dean spent up to five hours each shift trying to get the evidence to nail one thief.

Meanwhile, he urged people to report crime.

“I don’t want my area to be known as a bad area,” he said.

“ I want people to say, ‘The Parks are getting better’.”