An automated license plate reader turned a routine patrol into a high-stakes bust Friday, after Anne Arundel County police traced a stolen 2008 Kia to a Motel 6 parking lot and arrested two people at the scene, authorities said. Inside the vehicle, officers reported finding about 27.17 grams of suspected crack cocaine, roughly 14.24 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1.02 grams of an unidentified white powder, and $1,327 in cash. Police identified the suspects as Jacori Coates and Horacio Silva, who were both taken into custody and charged in connection with the stolen vehicle and the suspected narcotics. The department also provided photos of the recovered vehicle, according to media reports.
As reported by WBAL NewsRadio, an automated license plate reader alerted an officer to the stolen Kia, and investigators tracked the vehicle to the Motel 6 lot. The outlet detailed the specific weights of the suspected narcotics and the amount of cash recovered during the search of the car.
How Officers Tracked the Car
Per Anne Arundel County’s Automated License Plate Reader program, the department’s Real Time Information Center captures plate images and vehicle characteristics, then can kick out an alert when a plate matches a stolen vehicle. The county notes that it uses both fixed and mobile ALPR units and that the captured data is retained and used in line with state law and departmental policy, which is exactly how officials say this stolen Kia ended up on their radar.
What Detectives Say They Found
Investigators say the driver had the suspected narcotics and the $1,327 in cash inside the vehicle, and WBAL NewsRadio reported the specific quantities recovered. Both Jacori Coates and Horacio Silva were arrested and charged in connection with the stolen Kia and the suspected drugs, officials said.
This is the latest county-reported case where ALPR and the Real Time Information Center have helped recover a stolen vehicle. A March Anne Arundel County press release described a similar recovery of a stolen Acura with RTIC assistance. The March 19 press release outlines how RTIC alerts have aided recent investigations and vehicle recoveries, suggesting this tech is fast becoming a regular supporting player in county busts.
