Police have launched a crackdown on car crime in Worthing after a sharp rise in vehicle thefts.

The number of cars stolen has risen from 406 to 502 in the past year, an increase of 19 per cent.

A multi-agency group will target the thieves and advise people on car security.

It aims to bring down car crime by five per cent a year for the next five years.

The scheme is led by Worthing Community Safety Partnership with support from experts in the car trade, insurers, Sussex Police, trading standards, Neighbourhood Watch groups and Worthing Council.

A three-point plan will target offenders, investigate car crime hotspots and support vehicle owners.

Neighbourhood watch co-ordinators will distribute information packs on car crime prevention. Up-to-date information will also be provided via the internet.

Inspector Allan Lowe of Worthing police said: "By joining with our colleagues from other agencies we can use a wide variety of methods to detect offenders and provide information to help drivers safeguard their vehicles."

Council community safety officer Mike Rumble said: "We aim to use new technology, including the internet, to tackle the problem."

Advice on protecting cars and their contents is available from local police stations or on the web site www.carsafety.co.uk