Police and DVLA officials used hi-tech surveillance cameras to check more than 1,600 vehicles for road tax, in an undercover operation on West Norfolk's roads on Monday.

Police and DVLA officials used hi-tech surveillance cameras to check more than 1,600 vehicles for road tax, in an undercover operation on West Norfolk's roads on Monday.

ANPR - automatic number plate recognition system - cameras were placed in undisclosed locations around the King's Lynn area.

The devices can check registration details against DVLA and police records in a matter of seconds, via a computer link-up.

Of the 1,679 cars and other vehicles which were checked during the operation, 24 of them were found to be suspect. Police say the owners of those found to be untaxed will shortly be receiving a summons.

Western area roads policing inspector Julian Moulton said: “There is a connection between un-licensed vehicles and those more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal collision on the roads of Norfolk.

“For this reason, we were pleased to be able to assist the DVLA in this operation with a view to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Further works are planned to deal with untaxed vehicles including the use of clamping and crushing teams across the Western area.”