A number of enforcement agencies came together this week in a bid to tackle vehicle-related crime in Keighley.

Police, Trading Standards, Vehicle Inspectorate and Customs and Excise were out in force on Tuesday to carry out checks on vehicles using the Aire Valley trunk road.

The initiative was set-up after information was received about itinerant traders travelling from the Lancashire region along the A629 to sell their counterfeit wares to unsuspecting consumers in West Yorkshire.

Councillor Malcolm Slater, vice-chairman of West Yorkshire Joint Services, which is responsible for trading standards in the district, said: "This is a multi-agency approach to catch a few rogue traders. It will also send a clear message out to those thinking of targeting vulnerable residents."

The team was stationed on the trunk road from 9am to 3pm and made checks on more than 200 vehicles. Despite causing a slight disruption during the rush hour, police said drivers were very co-operative.

Insp Nigel Cawthorne, of the Problem Oriented Policing team, said: "We have certainly seized property and impounded a number of vehicles through the initiative."

He said the police tried to do road checks regularly. "We act spontaneously so people never know where and when we are going to be next.

"It's a form of disruption. If we can't catch criminals for their crimes, we can generally get them for flouting other laws," he said.

Paul Smith, principal officer for the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said: "It is very unusual for all these services to team up like this, but it certainly has been very successful.

"We are blitzing the area to ensure these traders don't get into West Yorkshire."

The officers confiscated a leather suite because it was suspected of not complying with fire regulations and a driver was forced to tear off a bogus British Gas logo from the side of his van. Mr Smith said the team also intercepted a lorry load of asphalt.

He said: "These people were in their fake fluorescent jackets posing as workmen for the Highways Agency.

"They go round door-to-door trying to sell asphalt saying it's left over from work they are doing on a nearby road."

Customs and Excise dipped vehicles for rebated fuel, or "red diesel", which is illegal in most road vehicles because it expels toxic emissions.

The Vehicle Inspectorate made general safety checks on as many vehicles as they could.

The police's stolen vehicle squad was present to examine the chassis numbers of suspect motors. Auto Number Plate Recognition equipment was also used to identify drivers dodging road tax and insurance.

Along with the roadside checks, the inter-agency operation paid garages and motor retailers in the area a visit on Monday.

The inspections came as a result of an increase in Hanoi burglaries -- where car keys are lifted from houses and the car subsequently stolen.

The team checked for stolen vehicles and looked for any mileage discrepancies, or unroadworthy vehicles.