POLICE are asking people to use technology to help them in the fight against crime.

Anyone who has or is about to buy a phone, tablet or laptop as a Christmas gift is being encouraged to install tracker apps onto the devices.

This advice comes as part of ‘Operation Drawbridge’, Suffolk Police’s campaign to reduce the amount of burglaries being committed across the county and to bring more offenders to justice.

Detective Chief Inspector Bernie Morgan said tracker devices and apps are readily available to download to smartphones, android devices and tablets and can help police in locating a device if it has been stolen as a result of a crime.

He added: “As part of Operation Drawbridge, we are determined to exploit technology and find further ways in which we can help members of the public help themselves in securing their homes and their property to stop them becoming victims of crime.

“If a criminal gains access to a home, it can be much easier for us to get stolen property back when tracker applications have been used. This also helps us to locate offenders and bring them to justice.”

Det Chf Morgan said: “I know that phones and electronic devices will be highly popular as gifts this Christmas, so I would encourage those individuals who are either giving or receiving such items to install tracker apps to these products.”

When the app is downloaded, police advise to activate it as soon as the phone is lost or stolen, after police have been called. For more information see www.nmpcu.police.uk.

The advice follows a ‘day of action’ on December 7 targeting suspected burglars in Forest Heath as part of Operation Drawbridge.