Patrol groups and the police’s Operation Mexico were praised for the reduction of burglaries at a crime meeting organised by Ilford North MP Wes Streeting.

Insp Lee Canter told the room, at Caterham High School, on Saturday, March 24, that burglaries in Clayhall have gone down from 36 in January 2018 to five in March.

Neighbouring wards also saw similar results and during the same period, Barkingside went down from 25 to four and Fullwell reduced from 16 to two.

“In February, one ward had 39 burglaries in a month and I haven’t seen that since 2011,” he said.

“In line with the rest of London and nationally, we have seen a high rise in burglary in Redbridge - but the fact that it is in line with London doesn’t make it acceptable.”

As well as making 84 arrests under Operation Mexico and charging 38 people for 137 offences, Insp Canter said the violent burglaries had “more or less” stopped in the borough after they arrested a group but they were still taking place in Essex.

“Moving forward we are not going to disband Operation Mexico and let it go - once we get to an acceptable level we will put something else in place,” he added.

Leader of the council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said while it’s good that the rates have come down, one burglary is too many and Redbridge cannot rest on its laurels.

“I’m pleased that Operation Mexico is going on a bit longer but it will stop and we are working out what to do when that happens.

“We are putting 120 ANPR cameras across the borough.

“Data shows that ANPR cameras reduce crime by 40-50per cent as they don’t want to come in and they drive straight through as they don’t want to be traced.”

The leader said as a community, we must not let this issue go, and put pressure on the police and council.

He also said he is increasing the number of enforcement officers who patrol from 21-30 and said although they can’t arrest, many of them are ex-army and police and they are people you “don’t want to mess with”.