CRIMINALS using untaxed vehicles to carry out offences are being targeted in a blitz on car tax dodgers.

Cleveland Police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are to mount a series of joint operations to put a brake on untaxed, unsafe cars which, police say, are more often than not driven by people to carry out crimes.

By targeting them, police officers around the UK have been able to make arrests for a variety of offences, from supplying drugs to possession of offensive weapons.

Inspector Eric Robinson, head of Cleveland Police's road policing unit, said: "We believe our crackdown on untaxed vehicles will help to deny criminals the use of the roads and aid the detection of crime in Cleveland.

"Our message to persistent car and motorcycle tax evaders is clear. There is no way out and no chance to avoid detection. We know that persistent car tax evaders are likely to be the same criminals that cause misery in our community.

"We are determined to keep our roads safe, and tackling car tax evaders is a key part of our strategy."

The DVLA's wheel-clamping contractor uses a fleet of vans equipped with automatic number plate recognition technology.

It takes only seconds to check plates against a list of untaxed vehicles.

It is hoped this action will make it harder for car tax evaders to escape detection.

The penalties for being caught incude the vehicles being clamped, impounded and crushed.

Insp Robinson sounded a word of caution for legitimate drivers on the roads.

He said: "We also want to warn other drivers on the roads that untaxed vehicles are less likely to be roadworthy, as drivers require a valid MoT as well as insurance, in order to tax their vehicles.

"Based on previous operations, it is estimated that 80 per cent of untaxed vehicles have no insurance.

"So, while the DVLA is tackling the tax evaders, we can find out whether those same offenders have been up to any other criminal activity."

Both the police and the Government agency say the aim of their joint operation is to make Cleveland's roads safer for the whole community.