CCTV critical in cracking crime

BRITAIN’S largest police force solves six crimes every day by identifying suspects from CCTV, according to a senior officer.

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville said Scotland Yard has revolutionised the use of CCTV by treating it like DNA or fingerprints.

The officer, who heads the Met’s identification unit, said the number of suspects identified by his team has risen by a quarter to 2,512.

The majority of villains are named by officers and informants but some are passed on in public appeals.

The Met identified 2,512 wanted people in 2010, compared with 1,970 the previous year.