Anyone arrested or convicted for burglary offences in Chorley and Coppull over the last year will be getting a warning letter from the police.

This comes as part of Operation Julius, a high profile campaign which has been running throughout the month July, aiming to reduce burglaries across Lancashire.

Chorley neighbourhood officer, PC Beckie Herbert said: “This is just one of many tactics we are using aimed at disrupting the activities of suspected burglars.

“There are a small minority of people who are responsible for committing the majority of burglaries.

"The message to them is simple; we know who you are, we know where you live and if you continue to commit crime, you will be targeted.”

Officers are also writing to victims of burglary offences reported over the last twelve months to let them know what is being done to target offenders.

PC Herbert added: “Burglary can have an adverse impact on public confidence, not only to victims but to the wider community.

"It is important to us to inform those people affected by this sort of crime just what we are doing about it.”

Superintendent Bill McMahon, who is leading Operation Julius in Chorley said: “This is one of many tactics which will be used against these people.

“The letters are a warning to people to either stop committing crime, work with us and we will provide support in terms of drug treatment; or if they continue to commit crime, we will target them, arrest them and they may be sent to prison.”

“I want to reassure people that whilst this campaign is running throughout July we will remain committed to tacking burglary beyond this campaign through crime prevention advice, targeting those people who commit burglary and detecting crimes as part of our everyday business 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”