The detectors will be used alongside hand-held scanners at Camden Town tube station and Camden Road overground station in Camden.

There will also be an increased police presence at the stations.

British Transport Police will use arrests, seizures and reported crime to measure the operation's success.

'Visible deterrent'

Officers on the beat will be able to access fingerprint information from the police database within a target time of five minutes.

Dave Rooney, Acting Ch Supt, British Transport Police, said: "Mobile fingerprint technology helps speed up the time it takes to establish someone's identity if they have been stopped.

"It allows officers to spend more time on the frontline and reduces inconvenience to the public. It is also a visible deterrent to travelling criminals that will disrupt their activity and make them less mobile."

The use of airport-style detectors at rail stations was first tested in London last February and, following its success, has since been rolled out to other cities.