MOTORISTS in South Cheshire passed police scrutiny with flying colours after a roadside blitz for criminals drew a blank.
Cheshire Police used the hi-tech Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, designed to catch car criminals, over a two-day spell in Church Lawton, Scholar Green and Alsager.
The ANPR equipment is able to read number plates and tell if the motorist has no tax or insurance, and reports other information on crime matters relating to the car.
But the specially customised van, loaded with computer and scanning equipment, found no problems with passing cars last week.
PC Mark Guildford of the Community Action Team, which assisted officers, said: 'It is quite positive for us because we have not found anybody of note in the area, which means motorists must be behaving themselves.'
Sgt Gareth Woods added: 'It is a superb way of targeting travelling criminals through certain areas.'
The van was mainly stationed on the A34 in Scholar Green, A50 in Church Lawton and the Cheshire/ Staffordshire border in Alsager.
The equipment has been used in Cheshire for the past year, but only recently deployed in this area.
As part of the car-crime initiative, South Cheshire drivers are being given warnings on protecting their vehicles and valuables whenever they fill up at petrol stations, through warning messages on petrol-pump nozzles.
Tickets issued at pay-and-display car parks are also reminding drivers to lock their cars and keep valuables out of sight.
Crime prevention spokesman David Smith said: 'This is the time of the year when people use their vehicles for family days out, with many more valuables on board.
'It is also the time when windows are left open during milder weather, giving opportunist thieves all the encouragement they need to carry out their crimes.
'This campaign will remind drivers of the importance of safeguarding their vehicles and property.'
