Youth crime is on the fall in coastal towns after police set up an initiative to target young thugs and antisocial behaviour.

Officers in Shoreham, Southwick, Lancing and Sompting began Operation Respect three months ago.

Since then they claim the number of crimes and complaints about youth crime have fallen.

There have been 55 people arrested during the operation and 20 of them were aged 17 and under.

Among the arrests there have been three for having weapons, one for assaulting a police officer, seven for having drugs, five for causing actual bodily harm, one for causing grievous bodily harm and three for burglary.

Action has been taken against a further 73 youths including letters sent to parents, home visits by officers, antisocial behaviour contracts and problem solving meetings with the threat of antisocial behaviour orders issued.

Fifty-one of the 73 youths have not come to the attention of police after action was taken.

Thirty-two have been taken, or sent, home by officers.

On June 1 this year, shortly after the campaign was launched, Shoreham teenager Michael Morgan was stabbed to death at a Lancing caravan park run by Adur District Council.

A 16-year-old has appeared in court charged with his murder.

Operation Respect has involved officers patrolling areas across the towns, focusing on the known favoured hang-outs for youngsters. It has also involved CCTV vans and video filming of youths misbehaving.

In some cases footage of the youngsters has been shown to parents.

Earlier this month, The Argus reported how police in Shoreham had been forced to release a nine-year-old caught stealing jewellery from homes because he was under the age of criminal responsibility.

On August 16, a 17-year-old was charged with two counts of causing actual bodily harm after hitting two youths with a skateboard outside the Ship Inn in Southwick.

A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of burglary after fingerprints were found at the targeted property in Featherstone Road in Lancing on July 6.

An Argus investigation exposed the Total Garage in Shoreham after a shop assistant sold alcohol to a 15-year-old girl.

Police gave the assistant a fine and met with management to discuss tightening up licensing procedures.

The same store had, earlier this year, been fined for selling vodka to a 17-year-old who supplied it to 13-year-old Jack Strom of Shoreham.

The schoolboy was later found unconscious in a park and taken to hospital after he drank about a litre of the spirit.

Chief Inspector Lawrence Hobbs, of Adur police, said: "I am absolutely delighted by the results and the impact the plan is having.

"We have certainly noticed a decrease in incidents and complaints, and it is appearing to have the suppressing effect I was looking for when we launched the plan."