Spy cameras help fight litter louts

PAY attention, litter louts!

Rubbish busters in a Suffolk district have launched a high-tech salvo aimed at catching you red handed.

If you try fly-tipping at some of your favourite spots, you might find that that innocent-looking coke can or abandoned tissue box has a nasty surprise hidden in it.

Babergh council has taken delivery of the new gadgets which it is setting up in an attempt to catch out people abandoning their rubbish.

Technical assistant Daniel Whymark said the tiny cameras were connected to special computers and would come on if they detected movement near where they are placed.

He said: “The quality of the cameras is very good, we can get very good images from them.”

Fly-tippers tend to be creatures of habit and will often return to the same spot. Once an area has been identified the equipment can be set up and anyone leaving rubbish can be spotted.

The cameras and computer system they are linked to cost £7,000 which was provided by the Babergh Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

The maximum fine for anyone convicted of fly-tipping is £50,000 and it costs the council £17,000 a year to clear up.

Mr Whymark said that was paid for by Babergh council taxpayers, although much of the rubbish was left by people from outside the district.

He said: “We have checked on the rubbish and much of it comes from large towns like Ipswich and Colchester. That is not to say it all comes from outside - or that our residents don't ever dump rubbish outside the district.

“People also need to be aware now that they have to ensure their rubbish is being disposed of properly. If they just give it to someone else to dispose, and that person dumps it then the original owner could be guilty of failing to ensure its proper disposal and could end up in court.”