RAIL COMMUTERS from the Eastleigh area were greeted by the long arm of the law when they boarded their London bound trains.

Local community beat officer Nick Russell and crime reduction officer Barbara White were at the Southampton Parkway railway station to hand out vehicle crime reduction leaflets.

It was part of the force-wide Safer Vehicles campaign which was launched last month.

With auto crime across the county accounting for around 20 per cent of all crime, the year-long campaign is aimed at helping to reduce those figures.

Vehicle owners are being advised of the measures they can take to help prevent them from becoming a victim.

Mrs White said: "Southampton Parkway car park is a safe place to park with security cameras providing 24-hour cover.

"But often commuters leave their vehicles close-by in insecure areas where villains have been known to operate. By providing this crime reduction information, we hope that commuters will read the leaflet and familiarise themselves with the steps they can take to reduce the risk of car crime."

This is not only when they travel to and from work but at other times when they leave their vehicle unattended.

Mrs White added: "We want to dispel the misconception of people believing there is nothing they can do to prevent an opportunist thief from breaking into their vehicle.

"There are a number of very simple things that can be done and our leaflets clearly explain this."

A Guide To Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Vehicle Crime is available for the public which can be obtained by personal callers at Eastleigh Police Station.