Supermarket chain Tesco has been using CCTV vans to crackdown on illegal parking at its stores - and it's been welcomed by shoppers.
The distinctive vehicles, complete with camera pole on the roof, has been spotted at several car parks.
Tesco claims the vans add to existing CCTV surveillance of its car parks.
The supermarket chain was slammed last year for its plan to fine customers who parked over two spaces; some shoppers branding it "unnecessary and greedy" while others supported the move, TeesideLive reports.
Tesco customer Derek Airey says the vans are a "positive thing" and they don't go far enough to address problem parking.
He said: "This was the first time I'd seen the van. My car was damaged in the Ingleby Barwick (Teeside) Tesco car park by an elderly chap who saw the damage he and done, then parked elsewhere and went shopping.
"If it hadn't been for a witness he would have gone. I would rather they installed a permanent camera system to monitor it properly. It doesn’t deter the boy racers that use it as a drag strip at midnight, but then I’m not shopping at that time anyway."
A spokesperson for the retailer said: "We have a number of security measures to ensure the safety and security of customers and colleagues.
"The mobile CCTV are part of these measures and travel around our stores across the UK.”
One poster on social media said the vans had been spotted at other busy branches.
Another wondered "wouldn't it be cheaper to mount it on a lamp-post?"
Meanwhile, one observer poster pointed out the van itself breached Tesco's own rules - for being too large to fit in a parking space.
Posting a picture of a Tesco parking notice that states 'vehicles must be parked in the bays, they said: "According to their parking notices, the van does not comply with their rules.
"He must be parked in the bay. So should receive the appropriate fine."
