Crime & Safety
Alameda Police Recover 3 Stolen Vehicles
Automated license plate reader notifications alerted police who then turned to store loss prevention teams for help.
ALAMEDA, CA — The Alameda Police Department reports that it has recovered three stolen vehicles and credits a collaboration with retail businesses.
In the first case, officers responded to an automated license plate reader notification near Alameda Landing. The officers located the stolen vehicle in the Target parking lot. Officers worked with the Target Loss Prevention Team to review exterior security camera footage which led to the identification and arrest of one suspect. Prior to officers contacting the person, they filled up a shopping cart with merchandise. Officers later determined the person had no means to pay for the merchandise, likely preventing a grand theft.
Another automated license plate reader notification led officers to the South Shore Shopping Center where a stolen vehicle was located in the Kohl’s parking lot. With the help from another retail business, officers were able to obtain exterior video footage and determine who was driving the vehicle. The person was found inside of Kohl’s and arrested. During a search of the vehicle, officers located burglary tools.
In the most recent case, officers were notified of another stolen vehicle near Park Street. Officers located the car parked in the Walgreens parking lot. After reviewing surveillance footage, officers were able to confirm the occupants’ identities. As the pair exited the store, they were arrested for multiple offenses, including possession of burglary tools.
"These successful recoveries of stolen vehicles highlight the importance of community collaboration and demonstrate how technology can be an asset to resolving cases," police said in a statement. "We’d like to extend a huge thanks to Walgreens, Kohl’s, and Target’s Loss Prevention Teams. Their support played a pivotal role in reuniting these vehicles with their owners."
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