A MAJOR police crackdown on housebreaking in Govanhill has seen rates of the crime fall by nearly 100 per cent.

As first told in the Glasgow Times, cops on Glasgow's South Side carried out Operation Kapel over several weeks in an area of Govanhill.

It saw officers target houses in certain streets in the area to give residents DNA kits that mark their property with a unique code to protect them from theft.

In the marked area, which includes more than 200 homes marked with SelectaDNA, there have been no housebreakings since the start of Kapel.

This is a decrease of nearly 100 per cent on the previous four weeks prior to the scheme starting.

Police Scotland said there had been two attempt housebreakings in this area but not to marked houses and entry was not gained to the dwellings.

Overall, Govanhill in general has seen a 52 per cent decrease in housebreaking crime which includes Govanhill streets outwith the marking area.

Inspector John Menzies who, with Sergeant Cennydd Smith, lead the operation acknowledged the scheme is in its early days but hailed the success so far.

He said: "The Operation Kapel housebreaking prevention campaign is still in the early stages but through the collaboration between police, the Govanhill Housing Association team and the local community, we have seen a significant and sustained decrease in housebreaking throughout the area.

"The community has provided positive feedback throughout the campaign and are helping deter criminals from committing crime.

"As Operation Kapel develops I would encourage the local community to continue to report crime and those responsible for committing it."

Operation Kapel also saw officers visit licensed premises, pawnshops and second-hand dealers to explain where SelectaDNA will be used.

Police also recovered stolen property that came to light during the operation, used information from the public to carry out drugs raids and confiscated counterfeit cigarettes from locals shops.

Youth diversionary officers were out on the streets too.