VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – For the second time in a week, Volusia County deputies were able to track down a suspect thanks to license plate reader technology.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said there are about two dozen license plate readers throughout the county along roads in DeBary, Deltona and Daytona Beach.
"As you come into the city in certain areas or leave the city in certain areas, the tag is scanned," he said. "And its run against the databases; if the tag is in there for robbery, Silver Alert, Amber Alert, sex offender, it alerts the officers the car is in the area."
On Tuesday, deputies were able to apprehend Macajaih Valenzuela on a warrant out of Alachua County after a license plate reader spotted the suspect's car in Daytona Beach.
Chitwood said deputies were able to get find the car and take Vaelenzuela into custody five hours after the related shooting.
"That's the beauty of this technology," Chitwood said.
Deputies arrested Brandon Aviles on Sunday after they say he was involved in a home invasion.
"We have your car a block (from) the robbery going through the tag reader," Chitwood said of Aviles' vehicle. "And after the robbery, going through the tag reader the other way. So it's hard to say you knew nothing about this robbery."
Chitwood said the readers have been in place for several years, and he hopes they can add more throughout the county's major thoroughfares.
"I would like to see it on all those, so we're going to get you, coming or going," he said. "That's the ultimate goal: to get you as quickly as possible so you don't commit another crime."
In January, Ponce Inlet Police Chief Frank Fabrizio asked the city council to approve four devices for the Volusia County city.
Daytona Beach and Port Orange police departments also use the license plate reading software.
For citizens concerned about their privacy, Chitwood said the plate readers are no different than the multitude of cameras that businesses and private property owners already use.
"All it does is scan the license plate," he said. "That's all it does, it doesn't take a picture of the occupants. There are camera everywhere, all over the world. You're on video."
Chitwood said license plates are not considered private property and can be legally used for law enforcement purposes.
"I understand wholeheartedly when people say this is big brother spying on us," Chitwood said. "I get it. We try to put as many safeguards as possible. We don't do insurance checks or driver's license checks. That's not what this is technology is about. This is going after the bad guy."