A CRACK squad of dedicated crime fighters has been deployed onto the streets of Swindon.

The new team will focus on going after the most prolific offenders whose repeated actions blight the lives of residents.

Where parts of town are experiencing spikes in certain offences - whether that be vehicle break-ins, residential burglaries or another crime type - the unit will be sent in to track down those responsible.

The Community Tasking Team, as it is to be known, will be working closely with existing local community policing teams, and with specialist crime scene investigators, to ensure they have the biggest possible impact.

Among the issues high up on their agenda are outbreaks of car crime, thefts, drug dealing and burglaries.

They will also spend a large amount of time monitoring the small number of criminals who offend again and again.

The new team is being led by experienced officer, Sgt Nigel Kinderman.

He says his aim is to use his officers to effectively target the problems that are having the biggest impact on local people.

"My team will be focusing on the burglars, thieves and drug dealers whose criminal activities persistently have a negative impact on the town and its residents," he said.

"We aim to make sure that offenders know we will be knocking on their doors, arresting them and putting them before the courts whenever possible."

First sent out onto the streets a few weeks ago, the team has already achieved some significant results.

They were deployed to Priory Vale after a series of burglaries in the area and successfully identified two juveniles believed to be responsible. The pair have been remanded in custody, no longer causing misery for innocent homeowners.

Another burglary suspect, believed to be behind three break-ins at houses in West Swindon, has been arrested while yet another burglar has been charged after raiding a home in Stratton.

The team's officers have also put a 36-year-old man from Park South before the court for breaking into a vehicle.

Their efforts also saw a prolific shoplifter who stole from numerous stores across the town jailed for 62 weeks.

Information received from the public has been vital in the unit's activities so far. Officers have also acted on intelligence to carry out drug raids and recover stolen goods.

Next on the list is a crackdown on anti-social behaviour with groups of youths insistent on causing fear and distress by fighting or causing damage warned that they will be found and dealt with.

Sgt Kinderman added: "I want to reassure the public that we will respond to their concerns, but to remind them that Swindon is one of the safest towns in the UK, with a very low crime rate.

"A small number of individuals in our communities are career criminals, and their activities threaten to disturb people’s feelings of safety and well-being in their homes and streets.

"We are working day and night to disrupt their activities and get them off the streets."

Wiltshire Police have recorded 10 per cent more offences in the past 12 months than in the previous year.