Burglary rates shot up by a third in Oxford this summer.

Thames Valley Police's latest figures revealed there was a 33.3 per cent increase in burglaries in the city between April and August this year, compared to the same period last year.

Now they have announced a pre-Christmas drive to tackle burglars as the nights draw in and are also increasing the use of forensic techniques to catch offenders.

Oxford police commander Supt Jim Trotman said: "Officers in Oxford have made 14 arrests in the last week.

"In the last two weeks there have been five burglaries in North Oxford during the day in which windows have been smashed to gain entry. Police believe these could be linked."

They were on Linton Road, Thackley End, Polstead Road and Portland Road.

Mr Trotman added: "Four people have been arrested in connection with this series of burglaries and they are currently on police bail."

Two search warrants had been carried out on Marina Way and North Way, Headington, to stop items stolen in burglaries being sold and a 32-year-old woman was arrested on North Way on suspicion of burglary.

In West Oxfordshire there had been a 41 per cent increase in burglaries over the same periods. Overall in Oxfordshire there was a 19.7 per cent rise. There has been an increase in overall crime in the county of 2.7 per cent.