POLICE in County Durham are celebrating the success of a month-long crackdown on house burglaries.

Operation Sockeye was launched by Chester-le-Street police last month to combat a growing number of burglaries in the town centre.

Detectives were worried about the number of "sneak-in" burglaries where thieves got in through unlocked windows or doors while the occupiers were still in the house.

In the first phase of the operation, 26 people were arrested, most of them from the Chester-le-Street area. Of those, 12 have been charged for burglaries dating back to December 21 last year.

Most of them have already appeared before the courts and three have been remanded in custody by magistrates. Police expect to charge most, if not all the remaining 14, and plan to make more arrests as the operation continues.

More than £25,000 of property was recovered, mostly savings bonds and certificates, jewellery and cutlery. Many items have been identified and returned to their owners.

Detective Sergeant Terry McCabe, said: "The operation has been such a success it will be extended for at least another two months.

"We were being hit with a big rise in the number of house break-ins and our actions over the last few weeks will have stopped a number of criminals in their tracks and, we hope, given some reassurance to local people."

The operation was led by divisional CID and involved traffic officers, intelligence specialists and uniformed officers.