TV licence dodgers in Bradford were today given a blunt "there's no escape" warning as detection officers continue their patrols.

So far this year more than 400 people have been caught watching the box illegally in the Bradford postcode area.

And more detections will follow, according to TV Licensing's Bradford area manager Philip Jones.

"The equipment we have operating in detector vans in Bradford is now so sophisticated that we can even see what programme a householder is watching on their TV," he said.

Between April 1998 and March last year, 3,660 people were caught using TVs illegally in the Bradford postcode area.

The figure from April last year to February this year is currently 3,219.

"It works out we are catching about 300 people a month," said Mr Jones.

"At £101 per licence, that equates to £325,119 in unpaid licence fees.

"The message to people is that there really is no escape.

"We are now using portable, hand-held detectors for high-rise blocks of flats and places where we can't take the vans.

"They will pick up the signal and even tell us exactly where in the house or flat the television is and what distance it is from the officer.

"Most people are honest when they are confronted and say they don't have a licence.

"In those cases we see where we can help.

"Usually, they have either forgotten to get one or cannot afford a one-off lump sum, so we tell them about the schemes we have to pay over a period of time.

"But the persistent dodgers face a maximum fine of £1,000 for each offence.

"We have a team of officers working in the area seven days a week and if necessary we can call on others from places like Leeds, which means we can have 20 or 30 or more at any one time.

"And one officer can make in excess of 100 calls a day.

"Investigations are database led. We know which of the 186,830 households in the post code area have licences so we concentrate on those which don't and we will always find the evaders."

He said it was unlikely there would be an increase in the number of dodgers following news the cost of licences is due to rise to £104.

"Our experience with previous increases is that the number has remained fairly constant," he said.

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