CAMERAS are the latest weapon to be used in the fight against crime.

Police officers in Rochford are filming and following prolific offenders to stop them committing more offences.

Operation Bug-A-Thug uses the same big brother- style tactics first trialled in Basildon.

Chief Insp Andy Prophet, of Rochford police, said: “Operation Bug-A-Thug is just good old-fashioned proactive policing.

“We will be following known local offenders and trouble-makers, very much along the lines of the best practice established in Operation Leopard in Basildon.

“We will make use of video cameras and everything else within our powers to track those we know are committing crime and antisocial behaviour.”

Police will only stop hounding the offenders if they agree to be referred to agencies which can help them break the cycle.

This could be drug and alcohol support services, counselling, or other support agencies.

Mr Prophet added: “My message is quite simple. If you don’t want us to follow you, don’t commit crime, don’t commit antisocial behaviour, and if there are things you need from us, turn around and talk to us and we’ll see how we can help.

“We have some examples of early signs of success where specific individuals have been targeted for an evening and night-time and we know the type of crimes we suspected they were involved in haven’t happened.”

Rochford district councillor Heather Glynn said she was 100 per cent behind the new police initiative.

She added: “If this is going to help us teach the other youngsters what they shouldn’t be getting up to I’m very much behind them.”

Mrs Glynn said although the district was a low crime area she hoped it would prevent antisocial behaviour which cropped up in different areas of the town.