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First Arrest Made In Pasadena Using License Plate Scanner Technology

PASADENA (CBS) — A new system capable of scanning thousands of license plates per shift in individual patrol cars has yielded its first arrest, Pasadena police said Wednesday.

A 24-year-old Pasadena man was arrested on suspicion of car theft after an officer on patrol about 10 p.m. Friday was alerted when the automated license plate reader in his patrol car popped up with a snapshot of a license plate on his computer screen, suggesting the car had been stolen.

After confirming the report, the officer did a traffic stop on parolee Christopher Castillo and arrested him.

The automated license plate reader technology is a "force multiplier by allowing a single patrol car to scan and check thousands of plates per shift while officers remain focused on proactive patrol," Pasadena Police Department Chief Phillip Sanchez said.

The system was purchased with grant funds from the federal Homeland Security Urban Area Security Initiative.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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