Two car criminals gave themselves up to police - because they'd read The Argus.

The pair had seen how specially-trained police dogs were now being used to catch car thieves.

So they decided not to chance their arms when PCs Mark Oakley and John Ivatt cornered them in woods.

They pair had stolen a dump truck in Mackie Avenue, Patcham, Brighton, and were fleeing on foot when the two members of the police Vehicle Crime Reduction Unit arrived.

One thief gave himself up immediately but the other laid low in the woods.

The two PCs were chatting loudly about "getting the dogs" when the second thief suddenly emerged and gave himself up.

PC Oakley said: "Both said they'd seen The Argus article on us using dogs and decided not to argue. What they didn't know was that it was a bluff.

"We didn't actually have the dogs with us at the time. Still, that's the power of the Press for you and we are grateful for it."

The two thieves, both juveniles, were cautioned for theft.

We reported last month how Brighton and Hove city police are starting to use police dogs to tackle car crime after monitoring a pilot project by Strathclyde Police in Scotland.