Teenagers will help police officers combat number plate theft and vehicle crime.

The Volunteer Police Cadets, aged 13 to 17, will be getting involved in a "Safer Plates" initiative at two supermarket car parks in the Weald tomorrow.

It offers motorists the chance to have tamper-proof screws fitted to their vehicles and the free service is being overseen by PCSOs from the Tunbridge Wells Community Safety Unit.

The idea is that it makes it harder for criminals to steal number plates, which are then used to commit further crime.

Police statistics show there were 31 vehicle crimes recorded overall in June, the last month figures are available for.

That included six in Hawkhurst and Sandhurst but none in Pantiles and St Mark's, Park, Rusthall, Sherwood and the St John's ward.

The "Safer Plates" events will be at Waitrose in Hawkhurst, from 10am until midday, and Co-op in Cranbrook, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Inspector Ian Jones said: "Once again, our young cadets are stepping up to the plate and giving up their free time to be involved in projects which benefit their local communities.

"Number plate thefts allow criminals to clone other vehicles, which can lead to innocent motorists incurring speeding fines and congestion charges.

"We are working hard to deter and detect thieves..."

"Victims can also often find themselves, unwittingly, connected to other crimes such as burglary, drugs supply and the theft of petrol and diesel.

"We are working hard to deter and detect thieves, but also need drivers to play their part and ensure their vehicles are secure as possible.

"One effective way to prevent this type of crime is the use of anti-tamper screws. These are one-way screws and once fitted they cannot easily be removed."

Drivers don't need to book a slot in advance, although they are advised the service may not be possible on plates which are either stuck on, or have plastic or rusty screws.

The Volunteer Police Cadets scheme is a uniformed organisation, supported by Kent Police.

Cadets meet once a week for two to three hours during term time and, in addition, they volunteer three more hours each month to help with a community-based project.

Read more: All the latest news from the Weald