With their peculiar and unwieldy antennae, the first TV detector vans were the stuff of science-fiction B movies.
And the myths that sprung up surrounding their supposed powers were also worthy of Hollywood.
But the latest weapon in the battle against licence-fee dodgers is a green torch-like device weighing less than 1lb – and it really does work, with frightening efficiency.
The hand-held detector linked to a set of headphones beeps if an operating TV is inside a radius of 29ft.
It means licensing officers can now target places previously inaccessible by cumbersome vans, such as homes in very remote areas and individual flats in blocks.Kate Fisher, of TV Licensing, said that the new detectors will work alongside existing vans 'to enhance an already effective enforcement operation'.
She added: 'The message is clear. We have the technology to ensure that anyone watching TV without a valid licence can and should expect a visit, wherever they live.
'The vans these days are designed to be discreet, whereas in the old days they were more obvious. There is much more focus on being covert and the hand-held device is a logical extension of that trend.
'We tend to work undercover more than in the past. Any van in the street could be a TV detector van these days. We are definitely catching evaders off their guard.'
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