SOME 1,320 uninsured cars have been taken off London roads in less than four weeks.

Metropolitan Police and Transport for London launched the crackdown in the north London boroughs of Hackney, Haringey and Newham at the end of October.

The campaign, dubbed Operation Foist, follows research showing that uninsured drivers are the most likely to be involved in a hit and run collision.

Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said: "Uninsured drivers are a danger to the roads. We will use every power available to us to stop these people making London's roads dangerous."

Porsches seized

During the campaign traffic officers seized two Porsches, worth more than £150,000, a BMW Z4 and a Hummer, using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to catch offenders.

The ANPR units use computer technology and camera equipment to read vehicle registrations, converting the image into data which is then compared against police databases.

Police also arrested motorists for possession of Class A drugs and robbery, including a burglar wanted since 2005. One car stopped contained half a kilo of crack cocaine and £12,000 in cash.

Under legislation which came into effect in July last year, police have the powers to seize uninsured vehicles and sell them on or crush them if owners fail to present valid insurance.

Jon Verlander, whose daughter Amy was knocked down by an uninsured driver in a hit and run collision on September 2, has backed the campaign. He said: "Cars are cheaper than insurance and this means that people who have a car on their drive will drive it, without any sense of responsibility.

"If only people could see what the consequences can be in the cold of light of day. It's just so dangerous.

"Anyone who has been through what my daughter Amy has been through will understand. My only wish is that everyone realises how hazardous it is, without having the experiences that my family has had to face."

Police officer struck in hit and run

Yesterday a police officer was struck down in a fail-to-stop road traffic collision in Selsdon, Surrey.

He was on routine patrol in Addington Road, Selsdon, when a woman approached him to complain about youths riding motorbikes up and down the road.

The officer tried to get the bikes to stop but they carried on and careered into him. He was rushed to a south London hospital with a serious leg injury.

The male biker was thrown off his bike but he got back on and fled the scene.

  • Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 020 8649 0258 or email DC James Hallums at james.hallums@met.police.uk