MORGAN HILL, Calif - A San Jose man is under arrest after police used and automated license plate reader to determine the car he was driving had stolen license plates.
According to Morgan Hill Police, on February 29th, an officer on patrol was driving through the Ramada Inn parking lot when the vehicle's Automated License Plate Reader detected a stolen license plate. The officer approached the suspect, Fernando Carrasco, 34 of San Jose, who admitted he had stolen a license plate from his neighbor in San Jose and put it on his vehicle, in the hopes that he would not have to pay registration.
The ALPR located a second vehicle with a stolen license plate in the same parking lot. The investigation revealed that this second vehicle also belonged to Carrasco and he admitted to stealing that license plate as well. Carrasco was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on two counts of possession of stolen property.
The Police Department acquired the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system through a donation from the Morgan Hill Community Law Enforcement Foundation, (CLEF). The department installed the ALPR onto an existing police vehicle and deployed it last month. The ALPR consists of multiple cameras that automatically read license plates whether the patrol car is stationary or moving past a parked or moving vehicle. The cameras have the capability of capturing thousands of license plates per hour during all hours of the day and night and at high speeds. The ALPR system aids in locating stolen vehicles or stolen license plates and vehicles associated to AMBER alerts and wanted subjects.
CLEF is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization that raises funds throughout the year to provide needed equipment and resources for the Police Department. In addition to the ALPR system, CLEF provided the funding for Police Canine Officer Pax and supports the Parent Project and the Volunteer in Policing Program. More information about CLEF, including the upcoming Cops and Robbers Ball, can be found at www.morganhillclef.org.
Fernando Carrasco
