New technology helps police find stolen cars

By Lindsey Henley
WSLS10 Reporter
Published: July 22, 2008

It’s like an extra set of eyes that just so happen to recognize every single car reported stolen in the United States and Canada.
Detective James Price is one of the Roanoke City Police Officers trained to use the camera technology.
“It will show a picture of the actual car that’s gone by us,” Price said.
When one of the three cameras see a tag, the computer automatically runs the numbers and sounds off if it thinks it found a stolen car.
“I believe within the first week it found two stolen vehicles and one stolen tag.”
The cameras use infrared technology, which means police can track criminals day or night.
“Instead of someone driving around trying to find a specific vehicle, you just drive around in this vehicle and it will find it for you.”
Police can also go back and find any tag that’s been photographed for up to 30 days.
“With the GPS, it will tell me where we saw that vehicle.”
It’s an extra set of eyes with an especially good memory.
“You can’t see everything, so if you drive by a car, and you don’t see the car, it will.”
The cameras are helping police fight crime one frame at a time.