By Mary O’KEEFE
On Tuesday at about 8:30 a.m. deputies at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.–Crescenta Valley Station received an alert from the Flock Safety system regarding a stolen vehicle.
Flock Safety cameras were deployed throughout La Cañada Flintridge in 2020. The cameras use automatic license plate recognition technology that can read the plates of passing vehicles.
“It can read license [plates] during the day or night, at any speed,” said Sgt. John Gilbert, CV Station, in a past interview with CVW.
The plates are read and if the car has been reported stolen or if the vehicle plates are connected to an owner who has an outstanding warrant for arrest it will notify the station within 30 to 60 seconds.
The deputies were alerted to a silver Hyundai Santa Fe that was reported stolen. It was seen in the area of Ocean View and Foothill boulevards in La Cañada Flintridge. Deputies searched the area for the vehicle; Sgt. Armstrong discovered the car in the 3000 block of Foothill Boulevard in La Crescenta and was able to detain the 25-year-old suspect.
During the investigation it was discovered the suspect was on active parole for arson and assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect was arrested for driving without owner’s consent and booked into the CV Station. A parole hold was also placed on him.