CAR crimes in Southend fell by nearly 60 per cent following three arrests, a council meeting heard.

Dozens of residents have reported finding their car windows smashed and, on some occasions, items were also stolen over the festive period of December and January.

The wave of thefts from motor vehicles has increased in the past two months with criminals initially targeting unsecure vehicles, impacting all of the Southend borough with a number of areas highlighted as hotspots by the policing team.

However, Mark Flewitt, cabinet member for public protection at Southend Council, told a meeting of the policy and resources scrutiny committee on Wednesday that three arrests have brought the crime tumbling down.

A resident asked Mr Flewitt: “There has been a dramatic rise in car crime in Westborough from 20 to 54 in ten months. Residents are worried about the safety of their car.

“What ways is Southend and the Police take strategically and practical steps to reduce car crime and has there been any arrest for car crimes in Westborough and Southend?”

Mr Flewitt responded: “In the past 2 weeks there have been 3 significant arrests for persons linked to car crime. This has resulted in a 58% reduction in vehicle crime offences in the past week.

“A number of teams - including the Council’s Community Safety Team - have worked together to identify repeat locations, develop intelligence and to target proactive patrols to help ensure offenders are brought to justice.”

The arrests follow the announcement by Southend Police earlier in January that a special police team was taking on all incidents of car crime in the borough so that patterns could be identified.

Following an increase in police patrols there was an initial drop in this type of crime forcing the mindless perpetrators to just smash their way into secure cars instead.

Mr Flewitt said that whilst the level has dropped, he has advised residents not to keep any items of value in their cars.

He added at the meeting: “Advice is still to remove items from vehicles and to ensure cars are secured when leaving them, and consider leaving compartments empty and open to deter thieves.”