Scores of burglars had a rude awakening this morning when police came knocking.

Hampshire Constabulary carried out a series of dawn raids across the county and the Isle of Wight as part of a crackdown on burglary.

The move marked the start of the "Safer Homes" - one of four special campaigns to be launched by the force over the next year, aimed at cutting crime, educating the public and "creating safer communities".

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan, who briefed officers in Basingstoke earlier this morning, before sending them out with warrants, said: "We have enjoyed considerable success in our efforts to beat the burglar, halving the number of break-ins over the past 10 years, but we are determined to reduce burglaries even further.

"Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are among the safest places to live, work and visit. But, in common with every other part of Britain, we are not immune from crime and disorder."

Earlier this week at a police authority meeting, Mr Kernaghan said the campaign, and those to follow, was about raising public awareness engaging in "proactive policing". In the case of "Safer Homes", that meant a series of dawn raids.

Pointing out that around 20% of burglaries do not even require thieves breaking in because homes are left insecure, the police chief said: "If I can get people to help themselves, I can reduce burglary."

In May, the constabulary unveils "Safer Streets", targeting violent crime, drugs, terrorist threats and disorder. "Safer Roads", which will focus on reducing road casualties, will begin in June.

"Each of the four campaigns, which make up the "Creating Safer Communities" programme, addresses a problem, or problems, identified as being a particular threat to the safety of our communities," added Mr Kernaghan. He said that various groups, not just the police, needed to work together to tackle the problems.

Simon Theobalds, chairman of Hampshire Crimestoppers, the 24-hour confidential hotline, said the service was an effective tool in fighting burglary: "At the end of the day, it's intelligence that solves crimes."

But he said information, which included details like names and addresses, was vital. "The whole point is that it allows people close to actual offenders to give over information without any risk of their name getting into the public domain," he added.

The "Safer Homes" campaign coincides with the release of a report praising Southampton police's specialist burglary unit. The pilot scheme, funded with a £295,000 Home Office grant, operates with a 14-strong team of detectives from offices at Hulse Road. Over a 12-month period, officers made 273 arrests for burglary and the detection rate rose by 7%.