STUDENTS in Hartlepool were asked to put car safety on their timetable as part of a crime awareness campaign.

Community safety staff from the Safer Hartlepool Partnership visited Hartlepool College of Further Education to chat to drivers about the risks of leaving their vehicles unlocked and leaving items inside on display.

The visit formed part of an on-going clampdown on car crime across the town, which has also included crime prevention staff sending letters to the owners of vehicles viewed as potential targets.

PC Steve Cranston said: "We are always looking for every opportunity to tell people about the problems we have with car crime and ways in which it can be prevented.

"By constantly drip-feeding these messages, we hope to change people's behaviour so that they give more thought to car security.

"Around 800 letters have been sent to drivers whose cars have been identified as being vulnerable because of the particular make of the car. We have made great progress in reducing car crime but we hope that this will reduce it even further."