A NEW campaign has been launched to crack down on thefts of satellite navigation systems.

Greater Manchester Police launched the drive, codenamed WICKED, after more than 2,000 Sat-Nav systems were stolen in the region between April and June this year.

In the same period, there was an average of more than 3,000 incidents of theft from vehicles per month across Greater Manchester.

Police believe this is as a result of more people leaving expensive items in their cars.

As part of the campaign, police will be stepping up operations to target offenders, and work with other bodies to educate drivers about how to deter thieves.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Seabridge said: "We aim to address this by encouraging people to take simple steps, such as removing all of their valuables when leaving their vehicle unattended and, therefore, reducing the risk of becoming a victim."