12:19pm Monday 20th August 2007
By Justin Dunn
POLICE using a high-tech number plate recognition system seized 51 cars on Wirral's roads in one day.
The large scale ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) operation pulled together resources from across Merseyside to effectively target police action against those using roads and vehicles to carry out criminal activities.
During the operation on Friday, officers made 56 arrests, seized 51 vehicles and issued 15 cautions for possession of cannabis.
A total of 120 fixed penalties were also issued for motoring offences.
Vehicles equipped with ANPR were strategically positioned around the major arterial routes in to and out of Wirral, creating a barrier for criminals entering the area.
ANPR systems automatically read and check vehicle registration numbers against information stored in databases, such as the Police National Computer, DVLA databases and local intelligence databases, to check if vehicles are of interest to the police.
It gives officers the capability to check whether vehicles have been stolen, are being driven illegally or have been used by offenders to commit crime.
The technology is particularly helpful in preventing and detecting serious crime by identifying pool' cars travelling in the area.
Shared by groups of criminals for the purpose of committing crime, pool' cars tend to have no registered owner and no insurance attached to them.
ANPR doesn't monitor speed and members of the public who don't break the law have nothing to fear from police using ANPR. Information is gathered and used by officers to directly target those involved in crime in the region.
Wirral Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Colin Matthews said: "ANPR technology improves our ability to prevent crime and detect offenders by denying criminals the right to use our roads.
"Working together with the local community and partner agencies, we are using new approaches, new technology and new legislation as part of out total war on crime in the borough.
"ANPR ensures we continue to target and arrest criminals, recover stolen vehicles and reduce crime in our communities."
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