CRIMINALS in north Oxfordshire are getting daily visits from the police to make sure they stay on the right side of the law.

Cherwell’s new police boss, Superintendent Andy Boyd, has warned those who commit, or are suspected of committing crime, that they will be “pursued relentlessly” in a bid to reduce crime in the district.

And he has not ruled out visiting offenders at their homes himself.

Supt Boyd officially started his new role on Monday but has been acting superintendent for about six weeks.

He said: “Those that are out there committing crime will have already noticed a difference in the last six weeks.

“What they have been experiencing recently is going to continue.

“They have been regularly visited at their home address and made to feel uncomfortable.

“Our job is to stop them committing crime to enable the people of Cherwell to live in peace and not feel threatened or intimidated.

“Some believe they are free to go out and commit crime at will. It’s important to us to demonstrate to them that that is not acceptable.

“It is also important that victims of crime understand, and recognise, that we will challenge those people who think they can get away with it.”

He refused to say how many people had daily visits from officers, but said it was a minority of troublemakers known to the police, across Bicester.

Supt Boyd said: “A lot of criminals are visited every day, some more than once a day, because we want to know where they are, what they are doing.

“We will relentlessly pursue them.”

Supt Boyd has been with Thames Valley Police for 26 years and has spent the majority of that time working in Oxfordshire.

He was a detective chief inspector at St Aldates Police Station, Oxford, for many years, and most recently was chief inspector in the Vale of the White Horse – which covers areas including Abingdon and Wantage.

There, he saw crime rates drop by 18 per cent over the three years he was in charge.

But he has ruled out continuing an initiative he started in the Vale, whereby he bought and delivered a cake to criminals on their birthday – with a message warning them to stay out of trouble or risk jail.

Supt Boyd said his priorities for Cherwell were protecting vulnerable people, challenging criminals and reducing crime.

He said: “Cherwell has a very low crime rate, per head of the population, and is one of the safest areas to live.

“So maintaining that will be a real challenge.”