AN OXFORDSHIRE councillor who had been critical of police efforts to curb ram raids has backed the local force after a meeting.

County councillor Liam Walker, who represents West Oxfordshire, had been outspoken in criticising police efforts to tackle the raids at shops across Oxfordshire.

However on Thursday night the Conservative said in a series of tweets: “A good meeting this evening with the local police... to discuss the ram raids that have taken place across Oxfordshire - 10 since December 2017.

“Police are keen to release more information about suspects and this will follow very very soon. Rightly some information is sensitive so couldn’t be discussed or released to the public but they agree the community are key to help catch these thugs.

“I was sceptical that much was being done before the meeting but now I think they are close to bringing this to an end. I stressed I don’t want to meet them again in 6 months after another 10 attacks on shops in our community.”

A series of raids across the county have taken place in recent months with attackers attempting to steal cash machines by driving into shop walls.

Tesco in Grove was targeted a week after the nearby Co-op had been hit. Spar in Bodicote was targeted three times in two months and other stores in Oxford, Chipping Norton, Headington and Charlbury have also been hit.