An officer with the Loyalist OPP nabbed a wanted suspect on the department’s “hot list” on Monday using an automated license plate reader.
The officer was travelling on County Road 6 in Loyalist when the plate reader tablet within the vehicle alerted the officer that the owner of the passing vehicle was wanted on warrants. The officer conducted a traffic stop and requested identification from the female driver and the male passenger. The male suspect provided a false name to police but was identified through investigation to be the wanted male. The passenger was arrested at scene and transported to the Napanee Detachment of the OPP.
A 33-year-old Napanee resident was charged with obstructing a peace officer and four counts of failing to comply with a probation order. He was held for bail court in Napanee and once his charges are dealt with in Napanee, custody of the suspect will be handed over to Kingston City Police.
An automated license plate reader scans plates and can identify if the permit or driver’s licence is expired, the owner is suspended, the vehicle is stolen or the driver is wanted by police. The plate can read thousands of plates on a shift while in operation.