BLACKBURN'S most prolific crooks face having their cars seized in a bid to disrupt their life of crime.

Since January officers have been testing new powers which allow them to confiscate cars being driven by uninsured, and unlicensed, drivers.

In the past eight weeks they have seized 58 cars identified via high-tech number plate reading equipment (ANPR) at checkpoints around town.

Police have been so impressed that they have this week extended the use of the powers.

Officers are now targeting the cars of some of Blackburn's most prolific crooks as well as continuing to run the checkpoints.

Criminals make ideal targets for having their car confiscated because they typically drive without insurance, or a licence.

And this week the crackdown began as a £35,000 BMW 630 was seized from a suspect believed to be living a life of crime.

People whose cars are seized have 14 days to provide insurance details, their driving licence, and documents to show they own the car.

If they cannot do this, then the car is kept by Clayton-le-Moors-based recovery company AAA, which seizes the vehicle for police.

Motorists who provide the documents, enabling them to recover their car, must pay a release fee of £105 and a £12-a-day charge.

Sgt Stuart Isherwood, from the road policing unit, said: "Removing uninsured vehicles and unlicensed drivers from the road has a big impact on improving road safety in the area.

"In addition, other offences are often disclosed when these drivers are stopped, meaning that criminals are continually being denied the freedom of the roads."

Explaining how the ANPR checkpoints worked, Sgt Isherwood added: "We now have a direct link from ANPR to the insurance database, which alerts the officer to those vehicles which don't have insurance, or drivers that don't have a valid driving licence.

"This means we can stop the vehicle, make the necessary checks with insurance companies and the DVLA, and then seize the car if all is not found to be above board."