A TOP police office has issued a stinging warning to criminals - we will not tolerate your actions.

Chief Insp Russ Cole, who is in charge of policing in the Tendring district, was speaking after the completion of a week long crime crackdown which was codenamed Operation Gallery.

The multi-agency initiative saw organisations come together in a bid to halt the rising crime rate in the Tendring district.

Through the operation, 17 suspected offenders were arrested.

The crimes they were suspected of included possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and theft.

Mr Cole said the operation had been a success.

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He added: “Operation Gallery has been a great success and seen a number of criminals in the Tendring area brought to justice for the crimes they have committed.

"We in Tendring want to send a clear message to those who come into our area to commit crime - we will not tolerate it and we will hold you to account for your actions.”

During the crackdown, officers based themselves around district’s most vulnerable and susceptible areas to crime which included spots in Clacton, Harwich and Manningtree.

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Crunch time - Officers being briefed at Clacton Police Station

Police ANPR vehicles checked more than 8,000 vehicles throughout the week.

Of these vehicles, nine were seized for not being insured, 54 tickets were issued for driving offences and three vehicles were searched for drugs.

A total 16 checks on licensed premises were also carried out including five in Clacton.

Mr Cole added: “We will continue to work closely with other agencies and our partners but most importantly the communities we serve to continue to make Tendring a safe place to live and work.

“Our work will not stop here. We will continue to run weeks of action throughout the year and will respond to the concerns of the public where we have identified a need for additional resources to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour or roads policing issues.”

The mobile police station was also used throughout the week and saw more than 30 residents from the Frinton area sign up to Neighbourhood Watch schemes.

Police also visited sites in Manningtree, Harwich and Clacton in an initiative to encourage residents to sign up to policing schemes.