Officers from Greater Manchester and Cheshire joined the raids

Thieves who steal from cars in Merseyside have been targeted by police.

Five people were arrested in four raids on Thursday following undercover work by Merseyside Police.

Officers in Knowsley were joined by colleagues from the Greater Manchester and Cheshire police forces.

Operation California targeted a group of thieves who steal from luxury cars and sell the property on.

Police raided three address in Huyton and one in St Helens.

Knowsley Detective Inspector Kevin Clague said: "Criminals may be becoming more sophisticated in their behaviour, working together in groups to target specific kinds of cars in specific areas.

"But my message to them is that the police have made major advancements in terms of forensic evidence and intelligence gathering.

"We will continue to work across the North West to use this evidence to put the brake on their activities."