POLICE today launched a wave of raids on known drugs users to tackle the rising numbers of burglaries across South Oxfordshire.

Officers executed search warrants on six properties in Wallingford, Berinsfield and Didcot at the start of the month-long Operation Momentum, following a series of high-profile armed robberies.

A series of Wallingford shops have been hit by armed robbers in recent months, including Blockbuster, bookmakers Coral, and MGJ Jewellers in St Martin’s Street.

Police believe the culprits are based locally, and could be raiding homes and businesses to feed their drugs habits.

They have launched the new operation to disrupt the criminal fraternity.

As the Herald went to press, officers confirmed three arrests from three raids, saying they had uncovered £1,200 of suspected ‘dirty’ money and substantial amounts of drugs.

The carefully-planned operation started at 9.30am, when officers battered down the door of a terraced house in Dirac Place, Didcot, arresting the 39-year-old male occupant on suspicion of possessing heroin. Police told the Herald the house was littered with syringes.

In Brendon Close, Didcot, a 22-year-old man was arrested for possession of a Class-B drug with intent to supply, after police found half a nine-ounce bar of suspected cannabis resin, with an estimated £250 street value.

And, in Blue Mountains, Wallingford, police seized £1,200 in cash under the Proceeds Of Crime Act from a woman in her 40s. She was also arrested on suspicion of possessing a Class-B drug.

Three more search warrants were also due to be executed in Wallingford and Berinsfield.

Sergeant Fraser Weller said: “The type of people we are targeting will commit crime to feed their drug habits.

“We are taking this extremely seriously and are going to have an impact. This is about taking it to them, disrupting them, and showing people we are not putting up with it.”

He said that officers believed a series of recent burglaries in Didcot and Wallingford were carried out by local people and were often linked to drugs.

Between August 2009 and January this year, there were 74 burglaries in Didcot, and 103 in Wallingford.

Across both towns, there were 33 car thefts and items snatchedfrom 86 vehicles.

On New Year’s Eve, armed robbers made off with £1,000 in cash from Coral bookmakers in Wallingford’s Market Place, and hooded criminals stole jewellery from MGJ Jewellers, St Martin’s Street, on February 1 in a smash-and-grab raid.

Last November, a man threatened the sole female cashier at Stan James bookmaker, Wantage Road, Didcot, stealing £3,000 in cash, while Blockbuster, St Martin’s Street, Wallingford, was hit twice in a fortnight by thieves smashing through the front door to steal games consoles.