2 arrested for suspected vehicle theft using El Cajon license plate reading cameras

Danielle Dawson
·2 min read
12

EL CAJON, Calif. — Two people including a juvenile were arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft in El Cajon this week with the assistance of license plate reading cameras, police said.

The first arrest was made Wednesday evening, according to El Cajon police, after officers began receiving alerts about a possible stolen vehicle from automated license plate readers (ALPR) near the intersection of Greenfield Avenue and Main Street.

Officers were able to locate the vehicle, a 2018 Dodge Ram stolen earlier that day, in the 1200 block of Broadway shortly after.

According to ECPD, the vehicle was stopped and the driver, identified as 31-year-old National City resident Allan Irvin, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and an outstanding federal warrant.

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The second arrest came the following day, Thursday. Around 1 a.m., officers received an ALPR notice of a stolen 2016 Hyundai Sonata near the intersection of Chase and Mollison avenues, the department said. Officers in the area spotted the vehicle and made a traffic stop.

The driver, identified as a 17-year-old boy, was currently on probation for auto theft. He was arrested and later released to a parent, according to ECPD, after Juvenile Hall refused to take custody of him for an undisclosed reason.

These arrest come after El Cajon ramped up its license plate reading program last month, introducing 40 new cameras to streets throughout the city. The neighboring city of San Diego has also approved a similar program, which is expected to be deployed as early as fall.

Since their introduction to the El Cajon, the ALPR cameras have assisted police in resolving numerous incidents throughout the city, including the locating of the suspect in an armed robbery and the recovery of a stolen motorhome.

Anyone with additional information regarding the incidents this week is encouraged to contact the El Cajon Police Department at 619-579-3311. Individuals with information who wish to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 888-580-8477.

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