Police have seized stolen car licence plates and arrested a man in connection with a racket that has caused nightmares for drivers.

Villains using vehicles with the stolen plates have been stealing fuel from petrol stations and others have been deliberately driving too fast past speed cameras to generate fines.

All the police and speed ticket inquiries have ended up at the doors of the innocent motorists who had their plates stolen.

Police last night were claiming a major breakthrough in the inquiry after officers raided a house in Woodingdean, Brighton.

Inspector Steve Curry said: "We arrested a 20-year-old man and recovered a number of stolen licence plates.

"This is a significant arrest and our inquiries are expanding into other spheres of criminality including bilking or stealing petrol from station forecourts."

He said offenders buying stolen plates on the black market will fill-up their petrol tanks and drive off without paying.

Mr Curry: "CCTV cameras on the forecourts will record registration plates of offending vehicles but, of course, the pictures lead to the address of innocent owners."

Mr Curry said there had also been several cases of offenders driving over the speed limits past cameras.

He said: "Tickets are issued and it is the innocent owners who receive the fines and they are left with the hassle of having to explain what has happened. It has caused a lot of heartache for owners."

Mr Curry said some of the plate thefts had occurred in Woodingdean.

Officers yesterday were recovering more plates at an address in Shoreham.

Mr Curry said: "We are into double figures in terms of plates recovered but our inquiries are continuing."

He urged people to report anyone acting suspiciously near vehicles and to call in with any information about stolen licence plates.

Mr Curry said: "This crime brings misery to motorists and we need to catch those responsible."

Contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070 999.