Print gadget to rumble fakers

Six out of every 10 drivers stopped by police provide false details, police revealed today as they prepared to launch roadside fingerprinting.

West Midlands Police is one of just 10 forces across the country to try out the new brick-sized gadget - which could save more than £2 million a year across the country.

Crooks wanted for other offences frequently give false details when pulled over by officers, wasting time and money.

But police hope the new gadget, dubbed the Lantern, will keep officers out on patrol longer.

It electronically scans a suspect’s index fingers, which are encrypted and beamed to the central fingerprint database.

The image is compared against the database of 6.5 million prints, and possible matches can be returned to an officer in less than five minutes.

Sgt Jon Jackson, of Bilston Street road policing unit, said: “The majority of motorists are law-abiding citizens, but we do target drivers who are most likely to tell us lies.

“If someone has motoring offences or convictions or a summons, they are likely to give a false name and address.

“This new system will enable us to act a lot quicker and save a great deal of time.”