Three stolen vehicles recovered by ECPD
El Centro police officers were able to utilize automated license plate recognition technology in their in-car computers to recover three stolen vehicles in three separate incidents from
Tuesday to Thursday, an El Centro Police
Department news release stated.
ALPR technology sends a notification to officers when a reported stolen vehicle passes near their location.
“Our department is committed to provide the best law enforcement services possible to our community every hour, every day with and the technology best resources available,” ECPD Cmdr. Robert Sawyer stated. “The grant‐funded automated license plate recognition program has been a phenomenal resource for community.” our agency and a tremendous benefit to our
The first recovery incident occurred at about 9:12 p.m. Tuesday when an ECPD officer was issuing a citation in the area of 14th and Main streets.
The officer was alerted by ALPR software in his in‐car computer to a stolen vehicle that had just passed his location.
The officer confirmed the detected license plate matched that of the stolen vehicle, a bronze Chevrolet HHR.
The officer completed his traffic stop and drove after the Chevrolet and requested additional officers.
The Chevrolet, which had been reported stolen on May 19 from El Centro, was located at 12th Street and Adams Avenue.
The officer again confirmed the stolen vehicle alert matched the make, model, color and license plate of the Chevrolet.
Officers attempted to conduct a high-risk stop in the 1000 block of Adams where the driver and passengers fled on foot.
Officers gave chase and were successful at apprehending the driver, a 16-year‐old resident of El Centro, after he attempted to conceal himself in a dumpster.
The driver was arrested without incident and booked at juvenile hall for felony possession of stolen property.
The passengers were not located.
The second recovery incident occurred less than five hours after the previous stolen vehicle was recovered at about 1:43 a.m. Wednesday. An ECPD officer was traveling northbound in the 200 block of South Fifth Street when he received a stolen vehicle notification from his ALPR software.
The vehicle in question was identified as a white GMC Safari and was originally reported stolen on Feb. 27 in El Centro.
The officer followed the GMC, confirmed the vehicle matched the plate and description of the stolen vehicle and requested additional officers.
Officers then conducted a high-risk stop and arrested both occupants, who were identified as El Centro residents Guillermo Marin, 50, and Nancy Solorzano, 42.
Marin and Solorzano were booked at county jail for felony possession of a stolen vehicle.
Marin was also booked for an unrelated misdemeanor arrest warrant.
The third recovery incident occurred at 8:17 a.m. Thursday when ECPD dispatch center was alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area of 500 S. Imperial Ave. after a red Chevrolet Trailblazer passed by ALPR cameras in the area.
The dispatch center confirmed that the make, model and license plate matched the stolen vehicle entry and immediately notified officers of the alert. Officers checked the area for the vehicle and located it a short time later.
A high risk stop was conducted in the 1500 block of Pico Avenue and detained two Arizona residents.
Both occupants were released pending further investigation.