Despite Headingley’s reputation as a burglary hotspot, latest figures show the crime has reduced by more than 50 per cent.
Specialist teams have been working around the clock on a series of operations to crackdown on the crime.
Operation Optimal has seen officers using crime pattern analysis to predict where and when burglars are likely to strike next and preventing further crimes by increasing foot patrols.
The Operation runs until January 2013.
Operation Anderson started on Monday and involves a specialist team arresting offenders, looking at intelligence and securing the area to combat burglaries.
Police working on the Operations have been working from the new building on Woodhouse Lane.
Staff relocated to the new building three weeks ago from the previous site at Belle Vue.
The new building is owned by Leeds University and is also home to the Hyde Park and Woodhouse NPT and two CID Priority Crime Teams.
Inspector Simon Brooksbank of the Headingley, Weetwood and Kirkstall Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is keen to reassure residents that the issue of burglary is being tackled and that offenders will be caught.
He said: “In our NPT, burglary is down by 50 per cent.
“Around 40 per cent of our cases are through insecure doors and windows.
“Operation Optimal has given us some huge progress with burglaries.
“Operation Anderson is very proactive. We have a dedicated team that works daily through the night looking at intelligence and information and dealing with burglaries.
“Officers have been visiting homes and addresses searching for people involved in these crimes.
“It is about arresting, preventing, disrupting people involved in criminality and securing and patrolling the area.
“We are here to reassure members of the public.
“As for the people committing the offences, you can expect a visit from one of my teams.”
Many of the thousands of students who will be returning to Leeds in the next few weeks will be moving into accommodation in Headingley and Insp Brooksbank is urging them all to stay safe in their new homes.
He said: “First of all, to any new students I would like to say welcome to Leeds.
“It’s important that everyone takes care in locking doors and don’t leave property like laptops near windows.
“They also need to bear in mind that it is not exclusively a student area and we do get some complaints about noise.”
He added: “Headingley is a great place. There is so much going on and it is a very vibrant area.”
Representatives from the local NPT will be at Headingley Methodist Church on Chapel Street from 10am to 11am on Saturday, to discuss any of your local policing issues.
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