ARRESTS for abduction, theft and robbery were made during a highprofile road check operation carried out by Redditch and Bromsgrove police.

Officers have been using the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, which reads registration numbers on vehicles when they pass a specially adapted van.

Cameras in the van are linked to a number of systems which identify the vehicle or possible occupants who may be of interest to the police.

Over four days at Hopwood Services and Lydiate Ash, 13 arrests were made for robbery, theft, abduction, disqualified driving, drink-driving and people wanted on warrant.

The system is only used to highlight vehicles of interest to the police, not those which are speeding.

The police also followed strict guidelines to comply with the Data Protection Act and Human Rights Act.