Temecula Cameras Are Reading Your Vehicle License Plate To Fight Crime

TEMECULA, CA — Can cameras that read vehicle license plates make neighborhoods safer?

Flock Safety, the company that develops the cameras and corresponding software, argued they can — as does the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

In early May, a suspect cased a quiet Temecula neighborhood in the middle of the night. He found what he was looking for: a Dodge Ram 1500 truck with current tags. The suspect is accused of removing the truck's license plate and putting it on a stolen truck that was identified by Riverside police, resulting in a car chase and dramatic crash near the 15 and 91 freeways.

Michael Wagner, 28, of Corona, was arrested by Riverside police officers and is being held without bail on felony charges of evading arrest, purchasing/receiving a stolen vehicle, repeat vehicle theft and willful obstruction of justice, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department jail records.

A multiple offender, Wagner was being held at Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center and will appear in court July 6 for a felony settlement conference, officials said. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Car and license plate theft is often the gateway to other crimes, according to Riverside police Officer Javier Cabrera.

"License plate theft happens daily," he told Patch in a telephone interview.

Thieves steal vehicles from all manner of places, from homes to car dealerships. In most cases, stolen license plates that match the car or truck enable drivers to keep the vehicle from suspicion for a time until they are caught by a license plate reading camera or other means, according to Cabrera.

For the owner of the stolen plate, the theft is an annoyance. The victim must file a police report and order new plates from the Department of Motor Vehicles or AAA offices for about $20.

For the thief, putting a stolen plate on a stolen ride starts a ticking clock.

"It happens every day," Cabrera said. "Car thieves identify similar makes and models of the vehicles they've stolen and secure license plates to the stolen cars. Those cars can drive around for a few days to maybe a month until they are identified as stolen."

Last summer, when the Temecula City Council discussed adding 50 license plate reading cameras across its thoroughfares, residents responded with both outrage and praise for the program. Some said "Big Brother" was here.

According to the software company, the data collected was only from the rear of a car — its make, model and plate — and that information was stored only for 30 days.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department contended that criminals in California rely on cars and frequently use stolen plates to hide in plain sight.

San Jacinto Sheriff's Station Lt. Ken Reichle said that adding Flock Safety cameras in San Jacinto led to more than 189 arrests over the past year.

"The Flock software is super effective," he said. "Most if not all crimes involve a vehicle. Criminals are driving to commit crimes. They escape in a vehicle; they're driving around in a stolen vehicle. In Southern California, you have to transport yourself from one place to another."

Now, with license plate reading cameras and software, many cities, homeowners associations and local authorities are better equipped to stop trouble before it begins, according to proponents of the technology.

With the Flock system, officials can get a partial plate, a color and a bumper sticker and can go back to the cameras to identify and find the right suspect rather than cast a wide and inefficient net, according to law enforcement.

"We have borders," Reichle said. "Criminals do not."

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors recently approved approximately 260 cameras for unincorporated areas in Riverside County. All are placed strategically at community entrances and exits.

San Jacinto gets between five to six stolen car hits a day, Reichle said. He believes the system is working.

"We have no idea how many crimes or potential crimes we are stopping, but we are stopping crimes from happening," Reichle said. "Our crime analysts are loving this system for investigations."

This summer, the Temecula community of Crowne Hill joined in the effort to better document stolen cars that cruise its neighborhood. Crowne Hill added two cameras and tied them in with local law enforcement, according to Holly Beilin, spokesperson for Flock Safety.

The cameras capture license plates and vehicle characteristics, not people or faces, she said. To help proactively reduce crime, the cameras also send real-time alerts when a camera detects a stolen car, known wanted suspect from a state or national crime database or vehicle associated with a missing person.

Thousands of communities across the country use Flock Safety cameras, Beilin said.

"Flock Safety cameras can be monitored by local law enforcement, who can not only get evidence after a crime occurs but also receive real-time alerts if a stolen vehicle or vehicle associated with a known wanted offender passes a camera," Beilin said. "As seven in 10 crimes occur within a vehicle, the cameras are one of the best tools to help police solve and prevent crime."