POLICE have launched a county-wide operation aimed at reducing burglaries between now and the end of March.

They say they have already reduced burglaries of homes in Maidstone and Malling alone by more than 21 per cent over the last year and Operation Castle will help to maintain that successful trend.

Police are urging residents not to become victims of crime by following simple crime prevention advice. They advise:

* Shut and lock all doors, even if you are only going out for a short time.

* Close and lock all windows too - burglars don’t like to smash glass.

* Make sure your valuables, including televisions and stereos, cannot be seen from outside.

* Don’t leave garden implements lying in your garden - they make ideal tools to break into homes.

* Make your home look occupied when you are away, by using timers on radios and lights. Tell neighbours if you are going away, even if it is just for a weekend.

* Consider marking your property. This puts thieves off because it makes it harder to re-sell the stolen goods and can put them at the scene of a crime. Remember CDs, games and DVD collections can be worth hundreds of pounds, so mark each item. Don’t forget to advertise that property in your home is marked by using the window stickers you receive with the marking kits.

* Visible burglar alarms are a great deterrent, though it’s courteous to your neighbours to ensure they shut off after 20 minutes. Make sure you set any alarms each time you leave the house.

* Security lighting is also a good deterrent, but should be placed carefully near entry points and so that it does not unnecessarily disturb neighbours.

* Ensure your outbuildings and garages are secure and that any items of value, such as lawnmowers and expensive garden tools, are out of sight and well secured.

Kent’s Chief Constable Mike Fuller, who launched the operation at Sittingbourne police station, said: “We want to transfer the fear that potential victims feel to the burglars themselves so they fear being arrested.

“We know through crime analysis that at this time of year that we normally get an increase in burglary and we want to pre-empt this through Operation Castle.”

Kent Police will be putting more resources into tackling burglary and will increase police patrols in traditional burglary hot-spot areas.

During the operation, DNA testing will be given priority as well as other evidence-gathering methods such as taking shoe prints and fingerprinting.