Car crime has decreased in the St Austell area

The White Gold project has proved so successful in the St Austell area that an extra �90,000 of Home Office funds is being used to take on four extra staff and extend the scheme to Newquay, then to the rest of the county.

Since the start of the year, the project has targeted more than 30 teenagers in the St Austell area involved with crime and anti-social behaviour.

It is believed a reduction in car crime in the area is in part due to the project.

I'm pretty confident now because I feel that if I lose my job, I'll be back to square one Mark Taylor

The scheme involves personal help for youngsters who are in trouble instead of court appearances.

Seventeen-year-old Mark Taylor was caught shoplifting and had been banned from driving. Thanks to the project, he is now out of trouble and working in a garage.

He said: "I'm off the streets now, I ain't getting into any bother and I've got things to do with my time now, which is work.

"I'm pretty confident now because I feel that if I lose my job I'll be back to square one and I don't particularly want to do that."

Restormel Borough Council's community safety officer, Dave George, a former policeman, said: "What we're doing now is intensive one-on-one engagement and really trying to understand what it is that leads these youngsters to offend in this way.

"If you can tackle those issues and respect the individual, you can sometimes turn it around."

Positive step

Scheme coordinator Pc Alan Milner says it is voluntary, but if youngsters will not participate they may end up in court if they remain involved in crime.

He said: "It's all been very positive. In many instances, it's just being able to be there and give these people a chance to talk to somebody.

"But if they're not interested in making that effort, taking that positive step, then I would be involved in first tracking these young people and seeing them maybe going in the direction of court."

Some of the youngsters involved had a record of persistent offending. One had been arrested more than 40 times.

But it is believed that reductions in vehicle crime in the town is partly because of the project's work.