Police officers became Santa's new helpers in a Liverpool region this week when he delivered special crime prevention gifts.
Father Christmas took to his sleigh flanked with officers from Merseyside police and drove around the village of Oxton, Wirral, with the gifts.
Sergeant Simon Barrigan, from Laird Street Neighbourhood Policing Team, was dressed as Santa at the helm of the sleigh, which was supplied by Birkenhead Rotary Club, and was accompanied by Inspector Roy McGregor and a team of officers.
The gifts included shed locks and alarms, handbag bells, security marking pens, Sat Nav security tools and handbag table top secure clips provided by Merseyside Police and Local Authority partners.
Inspector McGregor gave talks to the community about crime prevention methods while handing out the gifts.
More than 500 homes were called on, in excess of 50 shed alarms given out and over 200 security marking pens and hundreds of newsletters and crime prevention booklets handed to residents.
Inspector McGregor said: "I wanted to try something new this Christmas to reach the maximun number of residents to give them crime prevention messages.
"Oxton Village can often see a rise in opportunist crime at this time of year and I wanted to ensure that the crime prevention advice was well received.
"The sleigh and accompanying music drew residents out into the street which provided me with the opportunity to talk with them in a relaxed atmosphere as a group and give them the gifts.
"This led to some impromptu community spirit, which included mince pies being handed around and also allowed us to gather some information about neighbourhood concerns."
Anyone with any information about crime in their area is asked to call Merseyside Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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