Police stop motorists in Easter checks

2:36pm Tuesday 10th April 2007

MOTORISTS driving illegally in Devon were caught by police in an automated number plate recognition operation over the Easter weekend.

The operation focussed on traffic and crime related activities on roads coming into and leaving the county.

Police officers, special constables, a traffic warden and police community support officers from Cullompton, supported by traffic officers from Middlemoor, ran the high visibility operation using the technology of automated number plate recognition.

Based around Cullompton and the M5 motorway entrances and exits, the operation checked more than 1,600 vehicle details.

This resulted in 41 drivers being identified for no vehicle tax, verbal warnings given for a variety of minor traffic offences and over 38 fixed penalty notices being issued for a range of offences including six for drivers using mobile telephones.

Neighbourhood team leader Sgt Paul Kitcherside, the operation commander, said: "The ANPR system gives police and partner agencies valuable information about vehicles using the roads in this country.

"Locally we are able to use this information to detect a variety of offences and to enhance our local intelligence picture which at a busy time like Easter can be invaluable".