An Oak Park man has been taken into custody in connection with an armed robbery at a Ferndale 7-Eleven last month, thanks to the city's newly installed license plate readers. James Heflin, 24, allegedly stormed into the store on February 3 demanding cash from the clerk while wielding a knife, according to FOX 2 Detroit. A customer's timely entrance caused the suspect to flee the scene.

Utilizing the Flock Safety license plate readers, Ferndale authorities were able to identify the make, model of the getaway vehicle, and they secured a description of the perpetuator. On March 21, the Flock system flagged the suspect's car as it re-entered the city, "officers responded ot an alert after getting pinged from the system that the suspect's vehicle had entered Ferndale," ClickOnDetroit reported. The officers conducted a traffic stop and apprehended Heflin without incident.

Charged with felony armed robbery in the 43rd District Court, Heflin is now facing a $100,000 cash bond. Details from CBS Detroit indicate that he is scheduled to appear back in court on April 4. The Flock license plate readers which contributed to his capture were installed around Ferndale after being approved by the council in 2023.

Ferndale police emphasized the effectiveness of the Flock system, noting it played a crucial role in tracking down Heflin. The decision to implement this surveillance technology has been lauded by the local community, offering a digital eye on the streets which, in this case, led to the swift identification and subsequent arrest of an armed suspect believed to put public safety in jeopardy.