PROLIFIC thieves are to be hit with anti-social behaviour orders as part of a tough crackdown on car crime in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

It is the first time such powers have been used.

Police have launched Operation Forecourt to target people stealing from vehicles following an increase in car crime in recent months - and two thieves are among the first to feel the force of the clampdown.

John Egan, 30, from the Brunshaw area of Burnley, has been given an ASBO until January 2009 for three offences of theft from cars and interfering with a vehicle.

He is not allowed to get in any vehicle without the owner's consent; possess any tool, spark plug, screwdriver, crowbar, scaffolding pipe, or rubber gloves in public and associate with other named car criminals.

And Kevin Pearson, 26, of Florence Avenue, Burnley, must not get in a vehicle without permission or associate with a named individual also believed active in car crime, after he was convicted of two thefts from cars.

Handing out ASBOs to people caught stealing from vehicles is believed to be the first time in the country police have used such powers to tackle car crime.

In hotspot areas sting' vehicles' will also be parked with items such as sat nav systems left in them to entice thieves who will then be filmed on a hidden camera inside the car.

It is hoped the operation will also reduce the number of drug addicts by reducing opportunities for them to feed their habit.

Inspector Damian Darcy said offenders now targeted vehicles with hi-tech gadgets left in them such as sat nav systems, mobile phones and MP3 players.

He said: "At the moment there is a real market or road safety devices, in particular sat nav systems.

"They are worth at least £200 to £300 so any drug addict stealing them would probably get about £30 which would be enough for a couple of hits of heroin.

"The police will be applying for an ASBO for anyone arrested and charged for vehicle crime under this operation. We have been quite creative with the way we issue ASBOs in this area.

"This is quite rare and I don't think it will have happened anywhere else."

Operation Forecourt will see suspected offenders targeted 24 hours a day, with both high visibility and undercover patrols in hot spot areas. It was launched after police chiefs feared the recent rise in car crime would will overshadow the reductions achieved over the past year.

ANPR patrols will be out to check for vehicles reported stolen and motorists will also receive crime prevention advice.

Chief Inspector Stuart Noble, appealed for motorists not to leave valuables in vehicles.

He added: "We are not prepared to let car crime levels spiral. We are taking firm action and using every tactic at disposal to put the brakes on the recent increase."