License plate reading cameras help Berkeley police arrest 3

(KRON) — Berkeley Police Department officers using automatic license plate reading cameras made arrests for theft, robbery, and violent crime Tuesday using the new technology.

One arrest was made following an alert for a car linked to a theft at Safeway.

“The vehicle was found unoccupied, but the suspect was located nearby — carrying recently stolen ice cream and powdered heroin,” the Berkeley Police Department said. “He also had an outstanding $10,000 warrant from a neighboring county.”

Another car connected to car theft in Berkeley was also stopped Tuesday after its plates were picked up by the automatic plate readers.

“The driver attempted to conceal his identity, but officers were able to determine his true name, revealing two active robbery warrants — one from Berkeley PD and another from another county valued at $1 million,” Berkeley PD said.

Later that day, the plate readers helped police find a suspect wanted for a domestic violence, sexual assault, and robbery case that happened earlier in September.

“Officers used [the automatic plate readers] to locate the suspect’s vehicle and safely take him into custody,” Berkeley PD said. “Berkeley detectives then served a search warrant at his residence, recovering three firearms and ammunition.”