CRIMINALS are finding it harder to go out on the streets without getting caught as a result of a computer-led police surveillance in Poole.

A hi-tech system that reads the registration plates of passing cars and alerts police officers to stop any that appear suspect has proved highly successful.

In the past month burglaries across the town have fallen by half.

Insp John Mallace, of Poole police, is putting this down to the intelligence-led Operation Venom, which has seen police officers stopping suspects on the roadside.

Eight arrests have been made in the past few days for offences including burglary, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

"Operation Venom continues to highlight areas of good policing and the targeting of individuals has reached the number of dwelling burglaries," said Insp Mallace.

"The message is still clear: the criminal has to be lucky all the time, we only have to be lucky once. We are out there and you will be caught."

As reported earlier in the Echo police have been using a computer and camera system called Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to detect cars using the roads that are committing an offence or are linked to suspects.

Car tax dodgers, disqualified drivers and unregistered cars can all be caught by the system, which was used in London at the height of the IRA bombing campaigns in the 1980s and 1990s.

It also detects vehicle crime and cars that are known to be used by people "of interest" to the police.

The mobile camera patrol has been used in a number of locations around Poole.

Police have vowed to continue Operation Venom throughout the year.