Roving Cameras Used to Patrol Fla. Streets

PALM BAY, Fla. --

Roving cameras are patrolling the streets of Palm Bay searching for criminals. Officers tested the new technology, which can tell a lot from just one license plate.

Officer Jason McCoy gave Eyewitness News front seat access to the License Plate Recognition System he's testing for Palm Bay police.

"Right here we got the same type of tag but out of Washington," McCoy said.

That means the vehicle plate scanned by the cameras on top of his patrol car and cross-referenced in a national data base isn't stolen, lucky for the Florida state driver.

The system captures an image of driver's plates and the tag information is taken quickly.

Each unit would cost roughly $20,000. The cost would be covered by a grant.

"With the system it allows us to read a lot more tags in the same time period stolen tags, warrants, sex, predators," he explained.

It sounds good to Brad Paul. His work truck was stolen out of his driveway last week. The thieves ran out of gas and drove it straight into a ditch.

"It was there an hour before I was able to get it," Paul said.

He worries someone may try again.

"Without this truck I'm lost," Paul said.

Police can add their own vehicle tag information to the search and with 140 stolen cars reported in Palm Bay in the past year and roughly 15,000 active warrants county-wide, it's a handy feature to have.

It's a tool like anything else. The technology is already in use on Central Florida roads.

Orlando police have recovered one dozen vehicles and made four arrests.

Seminole County deputies recover a stolen vehicle per month using the cameras and the Florida Highway Patrol recently tested units for troopers.

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