POLICE will be joining hands with Malvern Hills Conservators and the community safety partnership to clamp down on thefts from cars parked on the Malvern Hills.

Operation Falcon will involve regular patrols of the car parks on the hills, both to deter criminals and to make visitors aware of the dangers.

Beginning on Wednesday, July 1, the patrols, to be carried out both by police officers and Conservators' staff, will also help identify vehicles that could be vulnerable to targeting by opportunistic thieves.

Patrol teams will be issuing advice to motorists, walkers and cyclists, reminding them to ensure vehicles' doors and windows are locked and to keep valuables out of sight whilst enjoying a day on the hills.

The operation, which will run for one month, has been launched as traditionally there can be a spike in the number of thefts from cars and other vehicles during the summer and early autumn months.

Cllr Rebecca Massey, who is responsibility for community safety on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “The levels and types of crime experienced in other areas of the country are often rare in Malvern Hills but as a proactive partnership, we cannot be complacent.

"Even though Malvern Hills is a safe place to live, work and visit, with low crime levels regularly reducing year on year, we are keen to raise awareness of this issue to ensure our residents and their property remain safe."

PC Cliff Green of Malvern Safer Neighbourhood Team said "The Malvern Hills are justifiably a popular mecca for walkers and cyclists and crime is at a low level. We take pride in maintaining our town and countryside as a safe and pleasant place to live and to visit.

"Criminals will target areas where they expect easy pickings and Malvern is not one of those places. We do not want to give criminals a chance to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the hills."