Eight people have been arrested in a blitz on suspected car crime criminals in Oxford this week.

A team of detectives from St Aldate's carried out dawn swoops at a number of addresses across the city during the last three days to coincide with the launch of Thames Valley Police's major Just a Minute anti-autocrime campaign. It followed an earlier operation in the city in August which netted 13 known high-profile car criminals. The officers were acting on information received from a number of sources, including intelligence, detecive work and information supplied by members of the public through Crimestoppers.

Those arrested were taken to St Aldate's for questioning. Five have since been charged with a range of offences including theft of vehicles, thefts from vehicles and unrelated offences. They will appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court at a date to be fixed.