Police are to target foreign criminals from Romania, Lithuania and Poland on the county’s roads today as part of an operation across Northamptonshire.
Officers will be carrying out roadside checks and using ANPR technology to crack down on foreign nationals involved in criminal activity.
The force says travelling gangs are thought to be involved in offences including shoplifting, fraud, metal theft and thefts from cars and vans, including catalytic converters.
Officers believe those gangs move around the country and are not linked to any particular communities.
As part of today’s operation, officers from Romania, Lithuania and Poland have travelled to the UK to join the campaign and will be based at a central call centre.
Northamptonshire Police officers will be able to contact them and carry out checks on drivers to see if they are wanted by police in their home countries.
Specialist Operations Inspector, Neil Dorothy, said: “Many offenders use the road network to travel from area to area in an attempt to avoid getting caught.
“Their activity has a damaging impact on communities and businesses alike. We want to protect the public from the misery they cause.
“Along with other forces and our European counterparts, we are developing a robust system to tackle this issue.”