Police have launched a new clampdown on car thieves and joyriders to stop them causing deaths on Oxford's roads.

Officers have responded to recent reports of youths stealing cars and speeding around Oxford's roads late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

They are determined to prevent another incident like the killing of schoolboy Ross Doyle.

Ross, nine, of Redwood Close, Greater Leys died in December 2000 after being struck by a stolen car. His killers ran off and have never been found.

The most recent reports of joyriding -- also called displaying -- happened earlier this month in Wood Farm and Headington.

Police also believe three cars stolen in Oxford last month were taken by joyriders.

A red Metro was taken from Elder Way between Thursday, August 18, and Friday, August 19, a white J registered Ford Fiesta was stolen from Brake Hill between Saturday, August 20, and Sunday, August 21, and a G registered Vauxhall Nova was stolen from Field Avenue between Sunday, August 21 and Monday, August 22.

Plain clothes officers mounted a late-night weekend operation around Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys in response.

Ds Stewart Codling, head of Oxford's autocrime team, said joyriders targeted older cars that did not have security systems.

"I don't think the driver who killed Ross Doyle was displaying, but it was a stolen car that hit him and killed him. That is something we don't want to happen again.

"We want to get the message across that we won't tolerate cars being stolen and driven like that. They do this on streets where families, elderly and vulnerable people live.

"We will make every effort to remove these individuals, they are not people who are responsible in any way, shape or form, and we will be aggressive in dealing with them."

He said youths involved in displaying were usually aged 12-17, and many were children who had hung around with older people who did it 10 years ago.

Blackbird Leys became notorious for joyriding a decade ago, when television pictures of joyriders, spectators and police in riot gear were shown around the world.

The new operation has been launched late at night because that is when youths steal the cars and go out joyriding.

The car owners don't discover their vehicles have been stolen until they get up in the morning.

By then the cars may have been abandoned or even torched.

Dst Codling admitted that picking a random night to catch the youths was a long shot, but was one of the few ways of tracing them.

He said: "What we have to do is enforcement rather than reduction. We have to come across displaying and deal with the people directly and indirectly involved in that.

"It does take a bit of patience, switching the engine off and sitting and waiting, but driving around you just don't hear or see things. Big as these estates are, if you sit nice and quiet you hear the screeching of tyres."

No joyriders were arrested during the most recent operation, but officers arrested one man on suspicion of drink driving, and stopped and spoke to several others.

Efforts to stop joyriding are set to continue.

Tony Stockwood, of Pegasus Road, was a city and county councillor in 1991 and worked on the Thames Valley Police Authority to end the joyriding craze.

He said: "There is no 'displaying' as there was during the trouble in 1991. Then people had a feeling their estate had been taken away from them, apart from the 200 or so who went up every evening to watch, but that feeling isn't here any more."

Patrick Stannard, of Green Hill, Greater Leys and chairman of the Leys Residents Association said: "I've seen the burned out cars on Blackbird Leys, the results of the joyriding when I've been walking around.

"It will end up killing children. The summer is always the worst time.

"I'm really pleased the police are taking an interest early.