ANPR number plate recognition
Number plate scan to be extended
Computer scans of vehicles number plates are to be extended across England and Wales in the effort to trace criminals' cars.
The £4.6m automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) scheme will be used by 23 police forces to find vehicles which have been stolen or involved in crimes.
Drivers going on the roads without paying tax or insurance will also be targeted by the move, which the Home Office says follows a successful six-month trial.
In the experiment, conducted in nine forces, ANPR helped police recover more than 300 stolen vehicles, worth more than £2m, £715,000 worth of stolen goods and illegal drugs worth more than £100,000.
The trial has also seen the arrest of more than 3,000 drivers. Money from fixed penalty notices issued through the scheme will help to finance the ongoing project.