There are ANPR cameras all over the UK for the purpose of checking insurance, road tax, and wanted vehicles. They are usually much more discreet than speed cameras because they don't jave to make themselves visible, and in fact police forces don't make locations public. My understanding is that the police can keep records of all the vehicles that drove past for up to a year.

At least you were lucky that the criminal masterminds who cloned your car's number plate did not bother to match the make and model, that made it obvious to spot for the police. Otherwise you might have had trouble explaining...