AN initiative designed to cut the number of repeat burglaries in the Tees Valley area is under way.

The project - conceived and developed by Safe in Tees Valley - involves detailed research to identify the characteristics of vulnerable households in order to develop models for intervention to prevent them becoming repeat victims.

It has been financed by the Government Office for the North-East through the Partnership Development Fund and has the full support of Cleveland and Darlington police.

Other partners contributing to the project include the Crime and Disorder Prevention Partnerships in Stockton, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, Victim Support, Age Concern and Cleveland Probation Service's youth offending team.

Project manager Brian Neale, his team and members of the five police divisions, have started visiting people who have reported more than one break-in at their homes.

Mr Neale said that while the full report of the research would not be published until March, the data collected was already being used for new security measures.