License Plate Readers

The Panhandle Auto Burglary and Theft Unit has a new tool to help find stolen cars.

Two new license plate readers are on the way.

The new readers are said to be more technologically advanced than the ones they are currently using because they can find a car based on a specific bumper sticker, and let the officer immediately know if a car or truck is stolen.

The system they’re currently using does not do that.

With the new readers, license plates can be read and videoed as police drive by and since 2020, almost 300 cars have been recovered, and officers say the new readers could boost those numbers.

They can also be used for solving and suppressing crimes by collecting data investigating shootings and tracking wanted people across the Panhandle.