CROSS border offenders were targeted during a crime crackdown collaboration between cops in Norton, Hagley and Kidderminster.

Three men were arrested during Operation Arrow which saw officers from West Mercia and West Midlands Police using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) equipment on main routes between Stourbridge and Kidderminster to target burglars travelling between the two towns.

Police used the technology to identify vehicles used by known offenders, or suspected of having been used in crimes, as well as those with no tax or insurance.

Sergeant Brian Russell of West Mercia Police said the numberplates of 5,700 vehicles travelling into Kidderminster were scanned by ANPR equipment, which alerted officers to vehicles of interest.

He said: "We were very pleased with how the operation went.

"Hopefully it will send a clear message out to criminals using the main routes to travel between Kidderminster and Stourbridge that we are pro-active in stopping and checking vehicles and their occupants.

"More of these operations will follow."

Three men arrested during the operation on Wednesday November 21 were later charged with receiving stolen goods.

One was also charged with motoring offences.

All three are due to appear before Kidderminster magistrates on December 6.

The operation also saw one driver given an £80 fixed penalty notice for possession of cannabis.

Three vehicles were seized for having no insurance or the drivers not having the correct licences, four drivers were reported for using mobile phones, and four were reported for motoring offences.