Nottinghamshire number plate camera network expansion plans

The cameras can instantly compare a registration plate with a database of suspect vehicles

A network of high-tech cameras designed to check whether a car has been involved in crime is being expanded.

The automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) system instantly checks a vehicle's registration with a database.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has announced £500,000 to increase the number of cameras across the county.

Recently the ANPR network in Mansfield has also been boosted through a wider £462,000 Safer Streets grant.

'Ring of steel'

When a vehicle passes an ANPR camera, its registration number is read and instantly checked against database records of vehicles of interest.

Police can then stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and potentially make arrests.

Ms Henry said: "Over the last few months we have been unveiling a series of new measures using Safe Streets funding and have already been able to make significant improvements to the ANPR network. But I still want to do more.

"I want to create a ring of steel around Nottinghamshire's roads that makes them as hostile as they possibly can be to all sorts of criminals.

"Particularly to the organised gangs who have to use our road network to transport and sell drugs. I want them to know that if they do venture out onto the roads, we'll catch them."

Some of the new fixed and mobile cameras will be added in rural areas, forming part of a wider country-side crime-fighting initiative.

It will also include new drones, off-road, thermal imaging goggles and more 4x4 vehicles, police said.

The exact number of cameras to be deployed is being finalised, the force added.