Police made arrests across the Spen Valley today during a huge operation by officers from the Dewsbury division.

Around 40 officers armed with warrants swooped on 91 addresses from 6.30am to capture suspected burglars and offenders who had failed to appear at court or pay their Council Tax.

By 8.15am six people had been arrested, including one from Birstall, and the operation was due to continue until 2pm.

Leader of 'Operation Lea', Inspector Simon Spencer, said: "We will be calling on people in every parish of the Spen Valley today.

"We suffer a surge in crime at this time of year with the darker nights and we aim to put them out of action."

Burglars, handlers of stolen goods and drug dealers were being targeted.

And working together with enforcement officers from courts and Kirklees Council, police had warrants to arrest Council Tax debtors and offenders who had broken bail and community service orders.

l Burglaries are down by around 40 per cent across the Dewsbury division this month.

From December 1 to 12 the area, which stretches from Birkenshaw to Dewsbury, suffered 71 recorded burglaries compared to 134 during the same period last year.

Insp Spencer said: "Our researchers can find crime trends and trends among the criminals who commit them."

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