UNDERCOVER surveillance work could be given an extra dimension if plans for a mobile unit receive the backing of the Home Office.

Proposals have been drafted by Town Hall bosses and Warrington Police for a covert van fitted with hi-tech cameras, primarily to tackle vehicle crime.

But the £30,000 project could be used for a number of law and order initiatives such as drugs crackdowns and anti-social outbreaks. The council could make use of the van when marshalling large-scale public events.

Council leader John Gartside, also a member of the county's police authority, said: "What has become abundantly clear is that intelligence-led police operations are the way forward.

"This is an issue which concerns us because vehicle crime in Warrington is quite bad. There's nothing quite so aggravating as finding that your car window has been broken and your radio stolen. Often the damage costs more to repair than the radio."

The return on the potential Government investment, in terms of crime prevention, would present real value for money, believed Clr Gartside.

Matching funding has been promised by the borough's housing department for the bid, made under the Government's CCTV Challenge Fund scheme.

The feasibility of the Warrington package is expected to be announced soon. If successful, the proposals will then go to the second phase when detailed submissions are considered.

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