Spot checks on cars on the A13 this year led to ‘350 criminals’ being arrested, police have told news agency ANP.

The camera checks were largely made during rush hour, leading to traffic jams as motorists tried to avoid speeding tickets. Some 30 were carried out over the past 24 weeks.

But it has now emerged police were using number plate recognition programmes to track stolen cars and people with outstanding tax bills rather than trap speeding motorists.

Crime

Police chose the 14 kilometre long A13 because it links Rotterdam and The Hague, both cities with a large number of criminals, ANP quoted the police as saying.

The arrests include people with tax debts of over €100,000 and nine people in stolen cars, police said.