Cameras to fight Staffordshire crimewave

Crime-fighting cameras will be installed across Staffordshire to tackle rising numbers of criminals travelling into the county, it was revealed today.

Small devices fitted with automatic number plate recognition technology will be installed on 13 main routes linking Staffordshire with other counties.

Eight mobile camera units will also roam the streets.

County council bosses, who are investing £200,000 in the scheme, said there was a "perception" among West Midlands criminals they had a "better chance of getting away with it" the other side of the county border.

Staffordshire Police is matching the council spend on setting up the cameras – which will go live in September – while the force will also meet running costs.

Number plate details are captured by the cameras and sent to a control centre, which alerts police if any vehicles need to be picked up.

Chief Superintendent Jon Drake said the technology would be used as "an investigative tool" after crimes were committed, as well as to pick up wanted criminals as they came into the county.

"It means if a house gets burgled we can look at what vehicle makes off from the scene," he said.

The technology is already installed on the region's motorways.

County councillor Robbie Marshall, cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure, said motorway cameras helped track down two burglars who led police on a high speed chase along the M6.

Michael Warrilow and Paul Corness, both aged 25 and from Liverpool, were jailed earlier this month for raids at post offices in Gnosall and Barton under Needwood.

Councillor Marshall said today: "This technology brings crime down."

By Mark Mudie