Extra police will be on patrol at Lakeside shopping centre as part of a major operation aimed at reducing Christmas crime.

Operation Christmas Presence will be launched tomorrow, November 18, and will run through to January 3.

Around 2.5million shoppers are expected to descend on Lakeside over Christmas and New Year and the police operation will be focused on maintaining public order and curbing crimes such as shoplifting, pickpocketing and thefts from parked cars.

Extra officers, PCSOs and Special Constables will be on patrol in the shopping mall and car parks and covert and marked police cars will be carrying out patrols and stop checks on vehicles arriving at or leaving the site.

Officers will be working closely with Lakeside’s own security staff, CCTV operators who monitor the malls and car parks and also officers from British Transport Police who will be monitoring shoppers arriving by train.

In previous years Operation Christmas Presence has reduced crime figures and increased detection rates.

A total of 113 crimes were reported during the Christmas season in 2012 and 38 per cent were detected. In 2013, 100 crimes were reported and 41 per cent were detected.

Inspector Lee Argent, who is leading the operation, said: "Up to 150,000 people a day visit Lakeside over Christmas and New Year and 70,000 vehicles a day use the car parks.

"There is a massive influx of visitors but among them are criminals intent on stealing from stores, from shoppers and from parked cars."