Police made 30 arrests in a series of dawn raids across Croydon yesterday.

A group of 40 borough officers snared suspects wanted for robbery, burglary and theft during co-ordinated capital-wide Metropolitan Police crime crackdown.

They executed nine search warrants across Croydon before patrolling in London Road, Thornton Heath and West Croydon.

Police found a stolen Playstation 3 at one of the houses where arrests were made.

The same officers also arrested three men in connection to a cash-in-transit robbery at a Co-op convenience store in Lower Addiscombe Road at 11am.

In Croydon town centre, patrolling officers targeted street drinkers and beggars, making several arrests for shoplifting, being drunk and disorderly and drugs offences.

Two cars were seized by cops targeting vehicles with links to criminal activity or without insurance.

Croydon Council Trading Standards officers visited jewellery and pawn shops, where thieves often offload stolen goods, to ensure they were complying with obligations regarding the buying and selling of second-hand goods.

Chief Inspector Malcolm Noone said: "Yesterday’s operation was about us using a range of tactics to target thieves and raise awareness amongst the public about how they can keep their possessions safe.

"Being a victim of a crime like burglary or robbery can have a huge impact on someone’s life. By targeting those responsible, and the networks they use to sell stolen property or trade for drugs, we aim to make our streets a hostile place for them to operate.

"Whilst we will continue to target those responsible, the public can also play their part by keeping their possessions safe and making it harder for thieves to profit."

If you are offered a phone you think may be stolen or have information about thieves and those profiting from stolen goods, you can contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.