Over 5,000 traffic offences were registered in the first quarter in Macao, a city with some 250,000 licensed vehicles, according to official statistics issued Monday.

The figures from the Public Security Police showed that more than 4,200 of the offences concerned speeding.

Due to the rising number of cases of "illegal racing," police officers are increasingly equipped with portable speed detectors, local media reported.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2007)