The Roads Policing Unit in Bedfordshire has formed a dedicated Automatic Number Policing Recognition (ANPR) Intercept Team that targets criminals through their use of the county's roads.

ANPR is monitored and used 24 hours a day across the county with the Intercept Teams operating during the core hours of 10am until 9pm. Beforehand Roads Policing were only able to carry out regular ANPR operations, but the new Intercept Team will be able to catch many more suspects on the roads.

Chief Inspector Jane Aspin, who leads the team, said: “Having a dedicated Intercept Team will help to drive down crime, as ANPR is such a powerful tool which can be used to trace suspects’ vehicles wanted in connection with any offence, whenever there is any intelligence involving a motor vehicle.

“As well as being operationally deployed, the team work proactively checking the ANPR system and following up vehicles wanted in connection with a variety of offences. Our aim is to relentlessly pursue criminals and raise public confidence by targeting offenders through their use of the roads by ensuring the best use of ANPR and other technology.”

ANPR works by dedicated cameras reading number plates and comparing them against a variety of databases, including the Police National Computer (PNC).

In January Bedfordshire Police led an operation involving seven forces, codenamed Utah, during which 129 vehicles were stopped resulting in 10 arrests with further misdemeanours recorded by VOSA, the UK Borders Agency, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, DVLA, HM Courts Warrants and Dept of Work and Pensions who were supporting the operation.

The arrests were for offences including money laundering, following the discovery of £7,000 cash in the glove box of a car, drug related offences, a high value shop theft which had occurred in Derbyshire that day along with property recovered, possession of false documents, a drunk driver and one person wanted on warrant for non-payment of a fine. In addition, two people were given on the spot fines of £500 for having illegal fuel (red diesel) in their vehicles and 27 people were reported for having no insurance or licence. Two suspected stolen vehicles were also seized.