HIGH-profile police road checks were carried out in the area in the past week by officers using the latest hi-tech system.

With Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), when vehicles pass a specially adapted van they are monitored by cameras which reads the number plates.

The cameras are linked to police computer systems which identify the vehicle or possible occupants of interest.

The system can identify vehicles regardless of their speed or how many other vehicles are on the road.

The police say it is not used for speeding purposes but to highlight vehicles that are of interest to them.

In the Bromsgrove checks officers say, as a result of using ANPR over four days, 13 people were arrested for robbery, theft, abduction, disqualified driving, drink driving, forgery and for being wanted on a warrant.

Sgt Brian Russell, who headed the operation, explained: "The ANPR machine monitored thousands of cars as they passed and highlighted over 650 vehicles which were then stopped.

"We were based by Hopwood services, on the A435, Bromsgrove Highway and the A491 at Lydiate Ash.

"To use this equipment a number of officers needed to be available to deal with the volume of cars that were stopped.

"On each day we had up to 20 officers working, including motorcyclists and officers from the Road Policing Unit at headquarters.

"The checks were a success and resulted in us being able to stop people that are wanted for a number of offences.

"Vehicles were also stopped for not having tax on them.

"Strict guidelines and procedures are in place to ensure systems are operated in full compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and The Human Rights Act."