TENDRING's top cop has vowed to tackle issues of burglaries and car thefts in Harwich and Manningtree with specialist police and targetted crackdowns.

In 2014 there were 9,230 recorded crimes in Tendring, which rose to 9,364 last year.

The latest figures show crime in Manningtree has soared by 20per cent alongside other significant increases in areas of Tendring including Great Bentley, which has risen by 36per cent and Walton by 24per cent.

But nearby Harwich has seen crime drop by 23per cent from 2014, Ramsey and Parkeston by 23per cent; Bradfield by 19per cent and Great and Little Oakley by eight per cent.

Chf Insp Cole said: "If we look at the crime figures the increases in crime are violence without injury, a lot of that is made up of domestic violence that takes place behind closed doors.

"There are harrassment offences aswell over social media sites.

"There have been burglaries and thefts from cars, we are taking a really proactive approach with pulse policing.

"We believe criminals are driving from Suffolk or other areas in Tendring to Manningtree to steal things from there."

He praised a 23 per cent drop in crime in Harwich.

"I know the community in Harwich and Dovercourt has felt for a long time that things have been going on there - a few years ago they felt they didn't have the right level of police response," he said.

"This shows some really hard and committed work has been done by the local teams and response teams that run from Harwich and will continue to run.

But Mr Cole is calling on residents to work with police in routing out criminals, saying they steal from their own community.

"Crime occuring in Harwich is committed by local people," he added.

"What upsets me is when people go out stealing things and stealing tools from local businessmen, these are the very people they are rubbing shoulders with in the community.

"We are asking anyone with intelligence on crimes or those committing them to contact 101 or crimestoppers - we need that information.

"Those carrying out burglaries will be looking to off-load stuff locally, people migt think they are getting a good deal but there are getting stolen property that has probably been taken from the friend of a friend."

New ways of tackling crime are also set to be used.

Mr Cole said: "We are bringing in officers from Chelmsford to police the area with special expertise so if people see an increased police presence there is no need to worry.

Mr Cole said officers will also be carrying out pulse policing where they target roads criminals may be likely to use to travel on at times they are likely to be there.