SOUTH Wales Police is launching its festive campaign to prevent crime and keep communities safe this Christmas.

The 'Cost of Christmas' campaign highlights the real consequences of crime - whether it be a life lost, to the financial burden of a written-off car, the fear experienced by victims or the reality of a prison sentence. It aims to raise awareness of the real price of crime, whether you commit it or fall victim to it.

The campaign provides practical advice to help you stay safe this Christmas, including tips to protect yourself from crime and guidance on avoiding online threats such as cyber-crime.

Assistant Chief Constable Trudi Meyrick said: "At this time of year, many of us are out enjoying ourselves and buying gifts for friends, family or loved ones, but sadly this will not be the same for everyone.

"This campaign aims to raise awareness of crimes we often see over the festive period, including domestic abuse, drink/drug driving, nighttime economy-related violence, scams and theft.

"We really want to get people to thinking twice about committing these crimes and to illustrate the consequences by showing how much crime could cost you. We also know that some people will be at risk of becoming a victim of abuse or another form of crime, so it's important we provide personal safety advice.

"By highlighting the impact of committing crime this time of year alongside what you can do to prevent it, we hope even more of us will be safe and happy throughout the festive season."

Operational policing activity will also increase throughout December and January across town and city centres to ensure our communities feel safe as part of a Winter of Action.

The rollout of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee earlier this year has already seen each community have a named, contactable officer listed for their area enabling them to reach out, engage with the local teams and be kept informed on local issues and priorities.

This option to contact an officer supports the website 'South Wales Listens' which allows the public to give feedback on what SWP is doing to tackle local issues, suggest opportunities for change, and access crime prevention advice.

In addition, 70 new Neighbourhood Policing Officers are on the streets of South Wales to provide a high-visibility reassurance to our communities, with a focus on tackling persistent offenders of anti-social behaviour.

The re-allocation of officers into Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) reflects the UK Government's pledge to strengthen neighbourhood policing.

ACC Meyrick added: "The boost of operational activity across our communities is part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring residents and businesses feel safe every day, particularly at a time of the year when more people are out and about doing their Christmas shopping or enjoying the nighttime economy in our towns and cities."