“Case closed" is the perfect ending to any crime story. 

Flock Safety has many success stories when it comes to eliminating crime. Flock systems have been deployed across the country to help local law enforcement fight crime, leading to multiple solved cases and community partnerships. Here are some of the cases where Flock Safety's LPR cameras aided in solving crimes. 

Solved Case #1: Shutting Down a Catalytic Converter Crime Ring 

Sometimes, one investigation becomes many.  

This case began when a determined Sergeant successfully used the Flock system to identify a stolen vehicle connected to multiple catalytic converter thefts in and around the city. 

The vehicle was added to the police department’s Hot List and was subsequently stopped after being flagged by one of Flock Safety’s LPR cameras. Two suspects were detained and eventually provided information leading law enforcement to a large organized crime ring—the central hub for buying stolen catalytic converters in the region. 

The mounting investigation revealed that this crime ring targeted many jurisdictions in the region and throughout several states. The Sergeant heading the case collaborated with agencies at the local, state, and federal levels, leading to the creation of a task force dedicated to bringing down the crime ring. 

Law enforcement obtained several hundred thousand dollars in cash from stolen converter sales and identified dozens of suspects and target locations. The task force launched a large, coordinated operation that shut down multiple target locations simultaneously. Dozens of suspects were arrested, and police seized more stolen converters, cash, weapons, and ammunition. 

The successful conclusion of this story all began when a Flock LPR camera captured the license plate of a stolen vehicle. The Flock system played a substantial role in aiding law enforcement in identifying suspects and tracking them across multiple jurisdictions. 

Solved Case #2: Preventing a Silver Alert with a License Plate Reader Camera 

Not all cases end with the dramatic takedown of major crime rings, but the results are no less important. That’s true in this next case, where the Flock system assisted in the safe return of an elderly woman to her family. 

When an officer walked into a local police department’s Real Time Crime Center on May 12th, 2022, the officer noticed that patrol units were looking for a missing elderly female. The woman left her cell phone at her house with her husband and could not be reached, leaving her family worried and alarmed. 

The officer asked for more information about the missing woman’s vehicle. As patrol officers prepared to release a silver alert, the officer at the RTCC plugged the license plate number into the Flock Safety system Hot List. 

The Hot List provides officers with real-time alerts when a vehicle in question passes by a Flock Safety camera. It can help officers both solve and prevent crime—or in this case, locate a missing individual who may be at risk.

Within 30 minutes of plugging in the data, the officer at the RTCC received an alert on the missing woman’s vehicle. A Flock LPR camera captured the vehicle’s license plate, allowing the officer to locate the vehicle live on camera. He then directed patrol officers to her location. 

The woman was safely transported back to her house and reunited with her family. Thanks to the speed and efficiency of the Flock LPR cameras, there was never a need to issue a silver alert, avoiding unnecessary alarm.

Solved Case #3: Putting an End to Serial Bank Robberies

In one recent case, serial bank robbers were eluding investigators until officers turned to Flock Safety to discover key information. 

In early 2022, a bank was robbed by suspects linked to three other bank robberies. However, neither the FBI nor any other police departments had been able to identify and apprehend the serial bank robbers, who remained at large in the community. 

After the robbery, one detective turned to Flock Safety’s system to examine the vehicle and any unique identifying characteristics. At first, he was unable to get a license plate number. He next used the filter option to search for any stickers that would help with identification. 

At the time, the department investigating the case had yet to share camera access with other area departments. The detective in charge took the initiative to do so, and it was this decision to collaborate across jurisdictions that led to the next break in the case. The detective was able to use the results from the filtered search to track down the vehicle and identify the license plate using Flock LPR cameras in other cities. 

After this successful legwork, the department was ready to take action.

When a Flock camera alerted law enforcement to the location of the suspect’s vehicle, the detective mobilized units and searched the suspect’s house. Law enforcement safely apprehended the suspect, vehicle, and stolen cash. 

Thanks to the evidence gathered using the Flock Safety system and the collaborative effort of the different departments, another case was safely and successfully closed.

Solved Case #4: Saving a Life with Fast Alerts

Flock Safety's alerts give law enforcement the information they need to respond to incidents as they happen. This helps close cases and saves lives.

In early 2022, an officer in the field received a Flock alert when a stolen vehicle was flagged in the vicinity. Within minutes, the officer was able to track down the stolen vehicle in an apartment complex. A second officer joined him at the scene. 

The officers discovered a male driver and a female passenger in the car. The woman was unconscious and unresponsive. 

While the driver was detained by the first officer on the scene, the other officer called in an ambulance and administered NARCAN to the woman. She slowly regained consciousness. She was then rushed to the hospital and admitted in serious condition for a drug overdose. The driver was arrested after the vehicle was confirmed stolen. 

Without the Flock alert, officers may not have been able to respond in such a timely manner, leaving the woman untreated.

Conclusion

Flock Safety LPR cameras assist in solving a variety of cases, from combatting organized retail crime to locating missing individuals. 

At Flock Safety, we know what it takes to eliminate crime and solve cases. It begins with capturing objective evidence in the form of vehicle information. In addition to the license plate, Flock’s unique Vehicle Fingerprint™ system records identifying characteristics of a vehicle, including make, color, bumper stickers, decals, and roof racks. Law enforcement gets the actionable data needed to zero in on specific vehicles linked to criminal activity.

With Flock Safety, officers can search footage while on the scene or as an incident occurs, which can be a turning point in solving cases and protecting the individuals involved. 

Success in the field starts with a system that’s accessible and easy to use. Flock Safety’s affordability ensures more police departments can install Flock cameras, which means more solved cases. Flock's maintenance-free and subscription-based service means you spend less time worrying about the technology and more time using it to keep your community safe. 

When you add Flock Safety to your crime-fighting strategy, you can tally up more #Solved cases. 

Flock Safety is a public safety operating system that helps communities and law enforcement in 2000+ cities work together to eliminate crime, protect privacy, and mitigate bias. We build devices that capture objective evidence and use machine learning to create and deliver unbiased investigative leads to law enforcement. Our proprietary devices and cloud-based software reduce crime by +70%. Flock Safety serves 2000 cities in 42+ states and is helping solve hundreds of crimes every day.