Hundreds of uninsured cars seized

Nearly 400 vehicles without insurance have been seized in a Kent town over the past year, according to figures.

Kent Police said it confiscated 379 vehicles throughout Maidstone in 2007 compared to 239 in 2006.

It said the rise followed a number of joint operations with the borough council and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Insp Geoff Wyatt said: "These figures show our determination to make the roads safer."

He added: "Drivers cannot afford to have a lax attitude towards safety and driving with no insurance is dangerous and breaking the law.

"We now have the ability to deploy an ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) vehicle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"This allows officers to immediately identify vehicles that are being driven without insurance. There is no hiding place for the uninsured. We will catch you."