THE BUZZ!
Baltimore residents using license plate readers to fight carjackings
First up.
In town, car jackings and auto thefts are up, and a lot of people are fed up.
Facing an alarming number of stolen vehicles, exceeding 10,000 this year alone, and the understaffed Baltimore Police Department, these South Baltimore residents have taken matters into their own hands.
Three community associations have teamed up to install license plate readers at key intersections throughout the area.
A spokesman for the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association said, “Cameras will not stop people from stealing cars, but what the cameras should do is alert BPD when a stolen vehicle crosses that boundary, so officers can be proactive in locating that vehicle. This will hopefully have a substantial impact on the amount of time criminals can spend terrorizing our neighbors.”
The license plate readers were funded through a $250,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Each installation cost between $25,000 and $50,000. And City Watch will have access, as will officers who are on patrol.
And time will tell if it helps.
But more neighbors and communities need to work together. It makes a difference.
