A CRIME blitz has been hailed as a success.

Officers in Tendring held a clampdown on criminals and rogue traders codenamed Operation Gallery.

The district’s top policeman Chief Insp Russ Cole said: “In Clacton, Jaywick, Manningtree and Harwich we have carried out additional checks on 1,000 vehicles. We have also conducted stop checks with Trading Standards looking into rogue traders who are praying on vulnerable residents.”

A total of 12 people were arrested during the first four days of a week of activity.

The arrests were for crimes including ABH, theft, theft from the motor vehicle and no bail warrants.

Officers carried out activity focussed on a number of key crime areas, such as executing warrants, additional patrols around the district, and an operation targeting safety in the night time economy.

They also worked with agencies including Trading Standards to target knife crime and alcohol sales.

Eight vehicles were seized for no insurance, while 17 people were dealt with for offences such as using a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance or having no MOT.

Nearly 6,000 vehicles were checked to ensure they were correctly taxed and 30 people have been signed up to the Essex Community Messaging service.

On Friday, operations took place to target criminals using the rail and road network, followed by a licencing operation in the town centre tackling issues and problems linked to the night-time economy.