The police also said the community should be prepared to put up with short delays when officers were trying to make the roads safer.

Traffic was bumper-to-bumper on Athllon Drive during peak hour when police stopped and checked vehicles on the busy road between 8.15am and 11.15am.

They were using a computerised number plate recognition system called RAPID – Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified – which can screen six number plates a second from the roadside.

The system can detect unregistered and unroadworthy vehicles, unlicensed drivers, and criminals who used stolen cars or registration plates to help them carry out property offences.

An ACT Policing spokesman said the operation was held during the peak morning hours because, rather than sleeping in, crooks were up and about ready to target homes when people went to work. ‘‘That period of time is when property crime offenders are active, using stolen cars and stolen number plates to move themselves and stolen property around specific areas,’’ the spokesman said.

During the three hours yesterday, the RAPID property offender strike team checked 1577 vehicles with the help of ACT vehicle inspectors.

The team detected eight unregistered cars, five of which also had no compulsory third-party insurance.

Two suspended drivers were detected, as well as one unroadworthy vehicle.

Police issued 16 defect notices.

One recidivist property and traffic offender was arrested breaching bail.

ACT Policing Superintendent Mark Colbran said the campaign was essential in making ACT roads safer.

‘‘ACT Policing regrets any disruption caused by these operations but the results speak for themselves,’’ he said.

‘‘These types of operations help keep the roads safe by targeting offences that are indicator offences to much more serious traffic offences, take defective vehicles off the road, and help keep our communities safer by helping to reduce property crime. Over the past five years, 38 per cent of all fatal collisions in the ACT have involved an unregistered car or unlicensed driver.

‘‘These offences are also represented in 20 per cent of all accidents with injury.

‘‘We hope that the Canberra community will accept that these operations are conducted to help keep them, and their families, safe on the roads and that a short delay is a small price to pay.’’

The RAPID strike team will continue to focus its efforts on Tuggeranong throughout this month and December.