License Plate Readers Help El Cajon Police Nab Vehicle Thieves

EL CAJON, CA —The El Cajon Police Department announced Thursday that it used its new automated license plate readers to arrest or detain four suspected vehicle thieves this week.

Two men were held on Monday in the theft of a U-Haul van in the 700 block of Jamacha Road after the plate reader and camera system, called Flock, broadcast an alert, according to the department.
Officers located the stolen van and the two men were detained, but were not immediately charged. The van was returned to U-Haul.

On Tuesday, around 7:05 a.m., Flock cameras alerted to a felony wanted vehicle that was located by officers in the parking lot of Target at 250 Broadway. Officers detained the driver of the vehicle, who allegedly had a felony warrant from San Bernardino County for false imprisonment.

Joshua Martin was arrested and booked into the county jail for his warrant.

On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the Flock system captured another stolen vehicle and the information was broadcast to officers, who located a stolen U- Haul pickup truck, occupied by Robert Bliss, in the Pep Boys parking lot at 201 Jamacha Road.

Bliss was arrested and booked into County Jail and the pickup truck was returned.

"The El Cajon Police Department will continue to use every tool available to us to hold criminals accountable who victimize our community," said ECPD Chief Mike Moulton. "If you drive a stolen vehicle in the city of El Cajon, we will locate you, arrest you and put you in jail."

Anyone with information about the vehicle thefts was asked to contact the ECPD at 619-579-3311, or call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 888-580-8477.

— City News Service