A JOINT operation involving more than 20 police officers and four customs & excise officials took place at three locations around Salisbury this week, in a crackdown on thieves who target the elderly and infirm.

Police believe the rising tide of distraction offences involving the more vulnerable members of the community are the work of travelling thieves, who go from town to town and village to village, calling at the homes of the elderly and disabled.

On Tuesday, police set up checkpoints on three major roads in and out of south Wiltshire - the A338 Bournemouth Road, the A36 Southampton Road and the A30 London Road.

Selected vehicles were stopped and police questioned the occupants to see if they had a legitimate reason for their journey.

Before setting up the checkpoints, head of the operation Det Insp Sidney Kimber told a press conference: "There is evidence that these despicable crimes are only committed against the vulnerable and elderly.

"The victims are selected carefully by the offenders. It is apparent the offenders are travelling considerable distances.

"While some of these offences are committed by local criminals, the majority are by travelling criminals."

Insp Kimber said the callers claimed they were from the water board or were touting for odd jobs and gardening work, to trick their way into the homes of the vulnerable.

He said police would be using a specially-adapted van containing equipment linked to a central police computer to check identification of vehicles and their occupants.

He said: "The operation is designed to reassure the elderly and vulnerable that we do really care and to give to criminals a message that we are not a soft touch."