A MAJOR crime wave could now be over after a thief, who targeted the Spa to steal half a million pounds worth of vehicles over a six month period, was jailed.

Droitwich had become a hot-spot for car key burglaries with a number of different incidents taking place each week. Police had urged car owners to be aware of the danger and to keep their keys safe and locked away.

Car key burglaries involve homes being targeted to locate and take car keys before stealing the car from the drive. Incidents even happen as the car owner or homeowner is asleep upstairs.

However, Spa police hope that the crime spree is over after a Solihull man, who targeted Droitwich Spa between June and November 2005, was jailed.

Darren Karl Nichols, aged 32, was jailed for a total of four-and-a-half years after admitting two charges of burglary, two of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent - using the keys he stole during the burglaries - and one of going equipped to burgle.

He was also imprisoned for driving while disqualified and dangerous driving without insurance in Staffordshire - with all sentences running concurrently.

South Worcestershire police believe that Nichols - who appeared at Hereford Crown Court - was involved in a total of 27 burglaries and high-value vehicle thefts, amounting to around £500,000 during the six-month period, an average of just over one per week.

Only a few of the vehicles stolen in Droitwich Spa with their keys have been recovered - including a BMW and a Volvo 4x4 in Bournemouth - resulting in money laundering charges being made against another man.

Inspector Steve Brooker, head of policing in Wychavon, said: "The remainder have simply disappeared and there is a strong likelihood that most of them will not be traced.

"What is highly encouraging, however, is that ever since Nichols was arrested for the Droitwich offences - using forensic evidence from two separate incidents - there have been no further vehicle thefts linked to ignition keys being taken during burglaries."

Nichols, of Finmere Way, Solihull, was initially arrested in Tamworth following a pursuit by West Midlands police officers. His connection with the Droitwich Spa offences came to light as inquiries progressed.

His fingerprints were matched to those on a letterbox at one of the targeted Droitwich addresses and he was also linked to an offence when a man was disturbed outside another address. The hold-all that was dropped contained Nichols' DNA.

Inspector Brooker said: "This series of offences caused growing concern to many Droitwich Spa residents who believed that they might be the next victim.

"The residents of Droitwich Spa are now resting easily in their beds in the knowledge that we believe we have stopped the targeting of their vehicles," he added.