Car criminals in Basildon will be tackled by a hi-tech piece of equipment which will see them coming a mile off.

Essex Police's much-vaunted Automatic Number Plate Recognition machine can tell officers if the car heading towards them has been stolen, or seen at a hit-and-run or scene of a crime.

Basildon police will deploy the weapon to crack down on joyriders who torch cars in a bid to hide forensic evidence.

Published Tuesday, January 14, 2003

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