An untaxed 'pool' car is taken away to be crushed

Officers have been stopping motorists on the Crabtree Farm and Snape Wood estates in Bulwell.

A special number plate recognition computer is being used to detect vehicles that are stolen or being driven illegally.

The cars are then taken away and scrapped.

Pocket money used

Some youngsters are known to have pooled their pocket money to buy old cars that they can race and then set on fire.

Inspector Jeff Whitmore from Nottinghamshire Police: "We get them burnt out, we get them stolen, vehicles change hands amongst a lot of the youngsters.

"Very often they are not licensed, not taxed, not insured and obviously they get set on fire as well."

A car spotted by the police camera is pulled over

Although local people welcomed the initiative, many of them who had been victims of car crime were too scared of reprisals to talk to BBC News.

"Pete" spoke of how frustrated he is by the teenagers' behaviour.

"They're doing hand brake turns racing up and down the roads late at night.

"I had the side windows smashed every Saturday night - wherever you put it it's going to get done.

'We can't win'

"Some of the kids that are out are six and seven years old.

A group of youths whose untaxed car, which cost them just �50 was taken away, said: "Why should they take our cars, if we paid money for them?

"We'll just buy another car and if we buy a car they take it off us so we can't win."