A real-time alert from an automated license plate reader turned into a short, chaotic chase in Tukwila on Thursday night, ending with two stolen cars stopped, three people in handcuffs, and one suspect nursing a broken arm.
According to the Tukwila Police Department, detectives locked onto two stolen vehicles that were traveling together after a Flock automated license plate alert pinged. Officers tailed the pair until one of the cars hit an object just north of Foster Park and became disabled. All three occupants bolted from the wreck on foot, but officers later tracked them down and arrested them. One of the three suffered a broken arm during the incident. The department has not yet listed any charges.
Flock alert set detectives in motion
According to Flock Safety, participating agencies on its automated license plate reader network receive real-time hotlist notifications whenever a flagged plate shows up on a camera. Tukwila detectives got one of those alerts Thursday night, then went hunting.
The Tukwila Police Department has leaned on the same technology before. A prior Tukwila Police Department news release describes another stolen-vehicle recovery that started with a Flock hit and ended on foot, a pattern that is quickly becoming familiar on local streets.
Pursuit ends north of Foster Park; three in custody
In this latest case, a Tukwila Police Department Facebook update says SEU detectives first spotted the car they were looking for on Macadam Rd S, traveling in tandem with a freshly stolen vehicle. Detectives followed the pair until one of the cars became disabled just north of Foster Park.
The post states that all three people inside the disabled vehicle took off running, turning a quick vehicle pursuit into a brief foot chase. Officers later located and arrested all three. One person sustained a broken arm, according to the department. The post notes that the investigation remains active and that charges were not listed at the time of the update.
Technology, policy and local review
On its public transparency page, Flock Safety emphasizes that its system captures license plates and vehicle descriptors, not faces or other biometric identifiers, a distinction the company regularly touts as a privacy safeguard.
The City of Tukwila has acknowledged community concerns around automated license plate readers and other third-party tools and has launched an internal review of outside data practices, stating that an assessment will be released by the end of the first quarter of 2026. In Olympia, state lawmakers have also been working on proposals to further define how ALPR systems can be used and how long data can be retained, a sign that the technology is drawing attention well beyond city limits.
How to share tips
The department’s update went out Thursday night, and officials say the case is still under investigation. Anyone with information or tips can find contact options on the Tukwila Police Department website.
