Yahoo News reported that Fairfax County police arrested 73-year-old Michael Spillino of Alexandria after using automated license plate reader technology to find his car. Spillino is accused of breaking into a home on a Tuesday morning.
The arrest comes as nearby jurisdictions move to shut down their Flock camera programs over privacy concerns. How plate readers work is a useful starting point if the terms are new.
What happened in the Fairfax County arrest?
According to police, the homeowner saw the break-in on a home security camera. The homeowner gave investigators descriptions of the suspect and his vehicle.
Police then used plate reader technology to locate the car and make the arrest. Investigators said they also recovered evidence linking Spillino to burglaries outside Fairfax County. The source does not name those other burglaries or the places where they happened.
Attempts to reach Spillino for comment were not immediately successful.
Why are neighboring places shutting down cameras?
The report says several cities and counties in the region are choosing to eliminate the devices, citing privacy concerns.
- Alexandria is shutting down its 61 Flock cameras by Friday night.
- The Arlington County Board voted last month to remove dozens of cameras there.
Fairfax County police defend the systems. Major Hudson Bull said on October 20 that the technology is an essential law enforcement tool. The report also points to a Washington Post report alleging that former police officers kept access to Flock's system after leaving the force.
What changes for drivers?
Alexandria's decision applies to Alexandria's cameras. Arlington's vote applies to the cameras in Arlington. The source does not describe any change to plate readers in Fairfax County.
The source does not say whether Fairfax County plans to keep, expand or end its plate readers. The report does not address cameras run by businesses or homeowners associations.
What should residents ask their local police?
- Which plate readers are in use, and where are they? Check the camera map for mapped locations.
- Who can search the data, and how many searches were run? Published transparency records for agencies are listed on the agencies page.
- How long is plate data kept? The source does not say.
The next concrete date in the report is Friday night, when Alexandria's 61 cameras are set to be shut down.