Kent's thieves are in for a rude awakening if they cross borders to commit crime.

Surrey police are launching a high-profile campaign to crack down on burglars and car criminals who hop across their boundaries.

Officers are using the latest number plate recognition technology and a major advertising campaign to keep out our thieves.

They have even stationed an officer in Tunbridge Wells police station.

The move comes as around 40 per cent of so-called 'serious acquisitive crime' in the county – such as burglary and vehicle crime – is committed by offenders from outside Surrey.

And almost 60 per cent of serious organised crime gangs hitting Surrey are not based there.

Operation Shield is the Force’s long-term strategy to protect Surrey residents from these cross-border criminals.

A Field Intelligence Officer from Surrey Police has now joined colleagues from Kent Police and is working full-time from Tunbridge Wells police station.

Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Kirkby explained: “By placing some of our officers in neighbouring forces we are already seeing benefits for the whole region. Our first priority is understandably to reduce crimes in Surrey committed by out-of-county offenders, but they are probably also offending where they live.

“Travelling criminals pay no attention to county borders and usually operate across a wide geographical area.

"By sharing intelligence with other forces, we are uncovering the full scope of their criminality and building strong evidential cases against them.”

As well as the number plate recognition cameras, high-visibility advertising will

appear on roadside billboards next to major routes into Surrey such as the A22 and A23; on bus shelters near the Surrey-Kent border and also on the back of buses serving routes in the area.