POLICE officers in Cwmbran are taking to the streets armed with video cameras to help identify local troublemakers.

The move comes after locals raised concerns about the levels of anti-social behaviour in Cwmbran during community meetings with neighbourhood policing teams.

Divisional Gwent Police analysts have also said there is a need to focus on lowering anti-social behaviour in the Cwmbran area.

Officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will take the hand-held cameras out on high visibility patrols to record any acts of anti-social behaviour.

They will concentrate their efforts in Thornhill because there has been an increased number of calls relating to anti-social behaviour in this area since the start of the new year.

The video footage will help them to identify offenders and may even be used as evidence to help seal a conviction later in court.

The filming will be done spontaneously and should also be a more effective way for officers to describe unknown offenders than a witness statement.

Sergeant Kevin Warren, of Cwmbran police station, said: "Using video cameras during patrols will not only capture evidence of anti-social activity but it will also act as a deterrent to those who choose to engage in this sort of behaviour.

"It is imperative for us to find the root causes of anti-social behaviour via the correct means and this is just another tool we can employ through patrols which will really aid the rest of the neighbourhood policing team with identifying offenders and dealing with them appropriately."

Sergeant Warren added: "Ultimately we hope that through using this innovative tool and increasing specific and targeted patrols in the area we will provide public reassurance and detect potential offenders and offences."