New cameras ‘spike’ cross-border crime

Hi-tech cameras are providing Durham Constabulary with a ‘Ring of Steel’ to protect the county from cross-border criminals.

The force-wide automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) infrastructure consists of 30 cameras located on major routes in Durham county. The system works by reading the number plates of all the passing vehicles and comparing them with the Police National Computer (PNC) database.

Any known or suspected criminal vehicles which pass the cameras are monitored and their whereabouts checked should a crime be committed while they are in the county.

Durham’s ANPR project team leader, PC Paul Black, explained: “Criminals will often travel many miles to commit crime and often cross county borders. This operation sends out a clear message that they cannot come to Durham to commit crime and get away with it. The cameras are extremely hi-tech and record the number plates of vehicles passing them.”

The Spike P372 cameras from PIPS Technology feature an ANPR camera, illuminator and processor in one rugged package.