Automatic number plate recognition cameras are driving down burglary rates in Redbridge, the council has said.

Since the Redbridge Council began installing its 41 cameras throughout the borough last year, burglary rates have gone down by 8.77 per cent in just the last month and by 2016 per cent in the last year.

The Automatic Number Plate Recognition software makes it easier for police to identify and catch known criminals as they drive through the area.

With 14 display boards set up next to the cameras which project the number plates to a wider audience, the cameras act as a deterrent for criminals.

A public consultation on the cameras resulted in 96 per cent of respondents showing support for the installation of the cameras and the council then began working with police to decide where the cameras should be placed.

Cllr Jas Athwal, council leader, said: “The government’s £1 billion cuts to policing has hit Redbridge hard which is why we’re finding innovative ways to fight crime and ensure we protect our residents.

“We’ve invested £3.5m in state-of-the-art CCTV and ANPR cameras and working alongside the police, we’ve installed 41 ANPR cameras and 14 ANPR display boards across the borough to stamp out trouble hot spots.

“This innovative method of display boards is just another example of our commitment to find new and clever ways to drive criminals out of the borough.”

The leader added police reports have shown 676 vehicles were flagged by the cameras for gang and burglary related activities in the month following camera installation.