The teenager was sentenced to a six month supervision order at Leeds Youth Court on Friday, May 2, after pleading guilt to breaking into one of the forces' highly successful Capture Cars on the Wortley and Armley border.

Capture Cars are fitted with CCTV and a liquid DNA marking solution to film and 'tag' anyone who breaks into them.

In the latest operation, Police placed one of the cars on the border between Wortley and Armley in response to a recent spate of vehicle crimes in the area.

Within a short space of time the 17-year-old broke into the car in which he was captured on CCTV and sprayed with the liquid DNA marking solution.

He was quickly identified from the pictures and arrested by local Neighbourhood Police Team officers.

The Capture Cars scheme itself has been operating across West Yorkshire since 2005 and has been credited with lowering vehicle crime by nearly 4,000 offences between 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Due to the success of Capture Car, a Capture House scheme has also been launched across the force earlier this year and has already secured a number of convictions.

North West Leeds Area Inspector Nick Boyes, said: "Capture Cars are a real asset in the fight against vehicle crime.

"Not only do they catch the thieves when placed in the hotspot areas, but they also serve to demonstrate exactly why car-owners should NOT leave valuables out on display when their cars are left unattended, for however short a period of time.

"This conviction is an excellent result for North West Leeds division and demonstrates that we are committed to catching and convicting those individuals who make local residents' lives a misery.

It also highlights the value of local Neighbourhood Police Teams who quickly identified and arrested the youth concerned.
"I would like to urge people again to please remove valuable items from cars when they are not in use."