CRIMINALS across north Oxfordshire will be getting a knock on the door from the police to make sure they stay on the right side of the law.

Cherwell’s new police boss Superintendent Andy Boyd has warned those who commit, or are suspected of committing crime, will be “pursued relentlessly” to reduce crime in the district.

And the innovative officer, who has sent birthday cakes to criminals in the past as a reminder to stay out of trouble, has not ruled out visiting offenders at home himself.

Mr Boyd officially started his new role on Monday, but has been acting superintendent for about six weeks.

He said: “Those who are out there committing crime will have already noticed a difference in the past six weeks with what they have been experiencing. They have been regularly visited at their home address and made to feel uncomfortable.

“Our job is to stop them committing crime to enable those who live in Cherwell to live in peace and not feel threatened or intimidated “These people believe they are free to go out and commit crime at will. It’s important to us to demonstrate that is not acceptable.

“It is also important that victims of crime understand and recognise that we will challenge those people who think they can get away with it.”

He refused to say how many people had daily visits from officers, but said it was a minority of troublemakers known to the police, across Bicester and Banbury.

Mr Boyd said: “A lot of criminals are visited every day, some more than once a day because we want to know where they are, what they are doing and wearing.

“We will relentlessly pursue them.”

Supt Boyd has been with Thames Valley Police for 26 years and has spent the majority of that time working in Oxfordshire.

He was a detective chief inspector at St Aldate’s Police Station in Oxford for many years, and most recently was chief inspector at the Vale of White Horse, which covers areas including Abingdon and Wantage.

There he oversaw crime rates drop by 18 per cent over the three years he was in charge.

He has ruled out continuing an initiative he started in the Vale whereby he bought and delivered a cake to criminals on their birthday with a message warning them to stay out of trouble or risk jail.

Mr Boyd said his priorities for Cherwell were protecting vulnerable people, challenging criminals and reducing crime.

He said: “Cherwell has one of the lowest crime rates per head of the population in the country and is one of the safest areas to live.

“So maintaining that will be a real challenge.”