Police in Keighley seized seven vehicles on Tuesday for having no insurance and recovered a stolen mini digger worth £12,000.

They were conducting a Bradford-wide operation designed to cut crime and make roads safer. Since Monday police officers, together with staff from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), have been stopping and checking hundreds of cars across the district.

The operation marks the launch of a £300,000 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera network in Bradford district. This is funded jointly by West Yorkshire Police and Bradford Council.

In Keighley, officers stopped and checked 300 vehicles and seized eight, including seven for having no insurance.

They arrested four people on suspicion of committing drugs related crimes and another for driving while disqualified.

Meanwhile, officers from the Regional Roads Policing team recovered a stolen mini digger after halting a 4x4 towing it along Spring Gardens Lane. They said their investigations revealed the digger was reported as being taken from its owner in Cheshire and may have been sold to a West Yorkshire buyer who was unaware it had been stolen.

Among those working alongside the police on Tuesday were staff from the hackney carriage licensing authority.

They checked 22 taxis and suspended the licences of three of their drivers.

VOSA workers were also active, stopping a total of 50 vehicles and taking action against seven drivers for a variety of motoring offences Chief Supt Allan Doherty, of Bradford district police, said: “By expanding ANPR capability from Bradford city centre out to Keighley and surrounding areas for the first time our “ring of steel” is now stronger than ever.

“It truly gives us potential to strike fear into criminals who think they can get around the district unseen.

“We are aware of the anger lawful motorists feel when they hear about others flouting the rules and I hope the scale of this effort will reassure residents that we are all dedicated to tackling this problem.

“To any drivers who are uninsured I would suggest you insure your vehicles now, as I can assure you that you will be caught and we will be hitting you where it hurts — in your pocket.”