Alameda Police Tout Controversial License Plate Readers In Carjacking Suspect Arrest

ALAMEDA, CA — Police say they arrested a carjacking suspect who forcibly removed the owner from the vehicle in Alameda on Wednesday.

The car was stolen from another city, but the owner tracked it to the 100 block of Brush Street around 1:20 p.m., according to the Alameda Police Department.

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The owner called police and waited inside the car for their arrival, but the suspect returned to the car and forcibly took them out of it, police said.

The suspect drove off with the car, but police said quickly located it with the vehicle with the help of Automated License Plate Readers, police said.

But by the time officers found the car, it was empty, police said.

Later that evening, Alameda officers identified the suspect and secured a warrant for their arrest, police said.

They also discovered the suspect was wanted in connection with a robbery in Alameda during the summer, police said.

On Friday, officers found the suspect and took them into custody in connection with the carjacking and robbery, police said.

Alameda police touted the license plate reader technology, saying it helped officers "quickly locate and return the victim's vehicle and take an individual with connections to firearms off the streets."

And they're not the first to do so. Other departments, including Berkeley's, have hailed the cameras for helping solve crimes that "might otherwise have gone undetected."

Automated license plate readers have been around for decades, but have recently garnered more attention because of their association with Flock and claims that the company shares data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raising concerns about overall privacy.

Flock has denied those claims, and police say the technology helps them solve crimes. But many communities across the country, and in the Bay Area, have chosen to cut ties with the company amidst public uproar.

Meanwhile, San Francisco officials last month announced plans to introduce a new bill to mitigate abuse of automated license plate readers.

The proposed bill also comes as law enforcement officers at agencies across the country face criminal charges for abusing license plate reader data.