POLICE are visiting criminals in prison and giving them a choice: behave on release or we will come after you.

Inspector Phil Hodgson gave one such example when he addressed the police forum meeting at Malpas. He said Anthony Price, who lives in Lache, Chester, committed burglaries and vehicle crime at agricultural premises.

Inspector Hodgson said: 'He was due for release a matter of months ago and was on our top five list of targets. Prior to his release we visited him in prison and offered him a full gamete of rehabilitation.' Referring to a separate case, Inspector Hodgson added: 'We caught this particular individual committing offences and he's now been sent back to prison and won't be released until much later next year.'

He added: 'We need to put these people in prison and not just forget about them and we are already making plans for when these people come out.'

The officer said Paul Simms from Wigan was committing vehicle crime and burglaries in the Mickle Trafford, Elton, Kelsall, Tarvin and Hoole areas.

Police targeted him and he was arrested. The offender made clear he wanted to wipe his slate clean and admitted to 85 vehicle crimes and 40 burglaries and is now awaiting sentence.

'We had to produce him from prison on three occasions. He couldn't remember how many he had committed so we took him down certain streets to jog his memory. He is looking at a three year prison sentence.'

Inspector Hodgson said Barnaby Clegg, 21, from Farndon, had committed offences in North Wales and Cheshire.

A five year Anti Social Behaviour Order had now been lodged against him meaning he was not allowed to drink in public other than licensed premises, not allowed to be drunk in a public place and not to approach certain witnesses.

He said during the football World Cup officers had confiscated hundreds of litres of alcohol from under-age drinkers. He was pleased to report that not a single licensed premises had sold alcohol to an under-age customer as part of a test purchasing operation conducted with Cheshire Trading Standards.

Members of the public raised concerns about an increase in domestic violence during the World Cup. Police did not have figures available but Inspector Hodgson said some officers had been allocated the sole task of dealing with domestic violence in anticipation of problems.