Ref. 73122-06THIEVES will travel for many miles to target cars in Swindon.

They enjoy rich pickings along the M4 corridor, breaking into cars and shoplifting.

And the man they should fear most is former police officer Brian Northcote.

He coordinates the Swindon Crime Initiative which oversees security in the town's key retail areas and is hot on their tail.

Most car thieves are drug addicts, and are also involved in other petty crimes, like stealing from shops.

Brian, 53, has built up a database of 600 photographs of the most notorious offenders caught on CCTV.

He regularly gets tip-offs from crime-fighters from other parts of the South West about crooks heading in the Swindon direction.

Brian, who works out of the town management office in the Brunel Tower, is backing our Keep Your Car Clear campaign to help motorists.

The aim of the campaign is to make life as tough as possible for thieves.

He said: "Leaving valuables on show is like holding a candle for the devil."

Run in conjunction with Wiltshire Constabulary and Swindon Council, the initiative has seen posters go up across town reminding motorists not to leave valuables in sight.

Between April and September, 1,034 motorists fell victim to thieves a frightening rise of seven per cent on the same period last year.

Town centre shop managers can raise awareness of car crime by putting up a poster.

Order one by emailing Tamash Lal