POLICE arrested 10 seized 34 vehicles during a national ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) day of action on Friday. More than 100 officers took part in the Cambridgeshire operation supported by colleagues from Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Suffolk,

POLICE arrested 10 seized 34 vehicles during a national ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) day of action on Friday.

More than 100 officers took part in the Cambridgeshire operation supported by colleagues from Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.

The day ran from noon until 8pm on the Sawtry Weighbridge on the A1(M), Worsted Lodge on the A11, Wisbech and Peterborough.

Traffic officers were supported by colleagues from specialist police search teams, drugs dogs and detectives.

More than 34,000 vehicles went through the ANPR cameras, with 3 per cent of those scanned for criminality or motoring offences.

ANPR works by scanning number plates, this is then cross checked within 1.5 seconds with data on the Police National Computer. It checks to see if the vehicle is taxed, insured or wanted in connection with a crime.

When a marker comes up on a vehicle, officers will stop the vehicle to investigate if an offence has been committed.

Results from the day include:

* 10 arrests:

- 2 x going equipped.

-1x wanted person.

- 1 x possession of an offensive weapon.

- 2 x excess alcohol.

- 2 x attempt theft of a motor vehicle.

- 1 x disqualified driver.

- 1 x drug offences.

* 76 fixed penalty notices were issued for various motoring offences.

* 34 vehicles were seized (18 for no insurance, 16 for other reasons such as no tax or the vehicle not being roadworthy).

Inspector Nick Church said: "ANPR technology is an excellent tool in denying criminals the use of the roads.

"In just eight hours we were able to check more than 34,000 vehicles.

"The links between untaxed vehicles, road offences and crimes are well documented which is why operations such as these are so important.

"This is part of ongoing work to ensure the lives of people using the county's roads to commit crime and road offences are constantly disrupted.

"We are on the county's roads on a daily basis and would warn anyone driving illegally to think twice.