MORE than 150 drivers were caught committing crimes and on outstanding traffic warrants during a special police operation in Altona last week.

Officers from the Hobsons Bay traffic management unit were joined by sheriff’s officers from the Department of Justice, who are responsible for enforcing sanctions against those who do not comply with court orders, and Victorian Taxi Directorate officers for a crackdown on unlawful drivers and motorcyclists over Wednesday and Thursday.

During the Altona operation, 26 vehicle license offenders, 135 outstanding traffic warrants and 21 taxi offences were found.

The officers took an automatic number plate recognition camera (ANPR) around various locations in the suburb to detect law-breaking drivers, vehicles and outstanding traffic offences.

Senior Constable Matt Wilson said the ANPR camera was similar to a speed camera, but could read number-plates and cross-reference them with the Victoria Police database.

The camera then recognised if drivers were travelling with suspended or disqualified licences.

The camera also detects offences such as stolen and unregistered vehicles and stolen and mismatched number-plates.

Sen Const Wilson said the camera also connected to the Department of Justice’s database and could find any outstanding warrants.

He said the ANPR camera, the only one of its kind in the state, was assigned to Altona after police had identified a spike in fuel thefts from petrol stations by offenders in vehicles with false number plates, over the past few months.

He said the camera would be used in future operations around Hobsons Bay.