A POLICE raid aiming to uncover stolen goods resulted in one arrest for possession of heroin.

Teams of six police officers raided three houses in the Parks area of Swindon, which were targeted using special intelligence.

But the raids in Radstock Avenue, Yeovil Close and Cranmore Avenue revealed no items believed to be stolen.

PC Gareth Kitchener, who headed the Operation Delta raids, said: "There is an element of hit and miss because it is difficult to gauge the accuracy of information we receive. But we have a duty to act in the interest of the public."

The raids were expected to uncover stolen DVD players, games consoles and mobile phones items commonly taken in recent household burglaries in the east and central sectors of Swindon.

Save for a drugs-related offence, no arrests were made. An 18-year-old man from Birmingham was arrested in Radstock Avenue for possession of a small quantity of the class-A drug heroin for personal use. He was given police bail and is due to appear before Swindon Magistrates on Tuesday.

Police figures show between 60 and 80 per cent of crimes in the town are committed to fund drug habits.

PC Kitchener said: "Many household burglaries are used to feed drug habits. This means the goods tend to be sold on quickly, rather than stockpiled."

Last month figures showed that crime has increased in Swindon, while detection rates have fallen. A Home Office report also recently revealed that the Wiltshire force was bringing fewer offenders to justice.

The most recent performance review released by Wiltshire Police Authority shows that in D division, which covers Swindon, there were 682 domestic burglaries in the division an increase of 119 on the same period last year.

The percentage detected dropped from 13 to nine percent.

House burglaries also rose to 1,166, against 960 in 2000/01. And only 13 per cent were detected a drop of seven per cent.

More raids will take place over the next few weeks.

PC Kitchener said: "Some of them take place at short notice, others are planned months ahead."

The raids are organised using information from a special intelligence unit, gathered from police officers and anonymous informants.

PC Kitchener said: "In the run up to Christmas burglaries tend to increase. We are constantly getting information and acting upon it."