POLICE have stepped in tohelp stem car crime in the Redcar and Cleveland area by giving locks to victims.

In the previous 12 months, research highlighted 40 people who had their vehicles taken or suffered from an attempt to steal the car.

In each case, they were repeat victims; their vehicle had been repeatedly stolen or multiple offences had taken place in the street where it was parked.

Redcar and Cleveland Community Partnership decided to provide them with free Diskloks.

Local woman Tracy Donnelly was one of those given a lock for her Vauxhall Cavalier. Her first car was stolen and never recovered and a replacement was taken within two weeks.

Chief Superintendent John Kelly, joint chair of the community safety partnership, said: "This is a tangible piece of crime reduction in this district and I welcome it.

"The partnership can, and does, deliver projects to many communities in the borough and I hope this makes a difference to the 40 victims of crime.

"Crime has affected these people and I believe the locks they have been given will significantly reduce the chance of their vehicles being stolen," he said.