Silver bells

London's police are putting a new jingle into Christmas.

The Metropolitan Police are distributing silver bells for shoppers in London's central retail district to attach to their bags, which will jingle if thieves strike.

"Operation Yuletide" aims to curb pickpocketing and theft of shopping bags and cell phones in the busy Oxford Street and Marylebone High Street areas of central London.

Superintendent Jon Morgan and officers are hitting the streets to advise shoppers on crime prevention during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

An estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people travel through the Oxford Circus Underground station every day and the numbers skyrocket just before Christmas, police said.

"With the bells warning people if their bags are moved, we want to ring in the festive season and give the criminals a wake up alarm call they will not easily forget," Morgan said.