Plate Reader Detection Leads To 2 SF Suspect Arrests

SAUSALITO, CA — License plate recognition cameras helped lead to the arrests of three suspects on multiple charges last month, the Sausalito Police Department said.

Alexander Kolesnikov, a 39-year-old San Francisco man and Marie Nicolo, a 32-year-old San Francisco woman, along with Edward Stillwell, a 44-year-old Alameda man, were occupants of Toyota SUV with a license plate the detection cameras recognized as stolen, according to police.

The license plate was stolen Aug. 17 from an Audi in San Francisco.

Kolesnikov was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools, and identity theft, police said.

Nicolo was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools, identity theft, and false identification to an officer, according to police.

Stillwell was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools, identity theft, possession of methamphetamines, and possession of heroin, police said.

All three suspects were booked into Marin County Jail, police said.

Officers at around 11:25 a.m. on Aug. 26 responded to an alert from the cameras of a vehicle with a stolen license plate entering the city from the 4000 block of Bridgeway, police said.

Officer Adam Clerici located the vehicle shortly after 11:30 a.m., according to police.

The suspects exited the vehicle without incident during a traffic stop at the intersection of Bridgeway and Gate 6, police said.

None of the occupants of the Toyota were its registered owner, police said.

During a search of the vehicle officers found tools commonly used to commit burglaries, suspected methamphetamines, suspected heroin, stolen mail, an additional stolen license plate, fraudulently obtained property, and equipment used to make fraudulent identification cards for identity theft associated crimes, police said.

Sausalito’s license plate recognition program has led to the recovery of 55 stolen vehicles and 65 arrests since it became operational May 18, 2017.

“The goal of the License Plate Recognition Camera program is to increase public safety by utilizing technology to alert law enforcement to wanted vehicles, enhance post-crime investigative abilities, and deter crime by increasing the likelihood of suspect identification,” police said in a statement.