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How to Register Your Car
in the C.A.T. Program
To register your car in the Combat Auto
Theft (C.A.T.) program, you will need to
have the vehicle and its registration
papers with you at the time of the
appointment. To enroll in the program,
make an appointment with the Alhambra
Police Department Crime Prevention
Office by calling (626) 570-5177.
Auto Theft Prevention Tips:
- Park in well-lighted areas
- When leaving your vehicle parked,
even for three-tenths of a second,
take the keys with you and close all windows and lock all doors. Never, leave your keys in the ignition--especially when you are filling
your tank with gas.
- Use any and all theft deterrent devices you have installed on your vehicle, such as car alarm, ignition cut-off switch, and/or steering
wheel lock ("Club").
- Put packages out of sight.
- If you live in Alhambra, register your vehicle
in the Combat Auto Theft (C.A.T.) Program.
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Stolen Car Recovery – PlateScan
Automated System Really Works!
You may have seen the short squib in the Pasadena Star News, headlined “New technology recovers cars.” The article discusses the recovery of two stolen cars in Alhambra: one based upon use of the LoJack system (about which much has been written)
and another based upon “PlateScan.”
PlateScan works by capturing digital license plate images as they pass a camera (or as the camera, installed on a police car, passes the plate). The plates are automatically cross-checked in real time against multiple local, regional, statewide, and, if appropriate,
national databases to identify vehicles
that are or interest to the authorities.
“Vehicles of interest” are associated with
auto theft, felony warrants, BOLOs (“be on
the lookout”), parking violations, and any
other license plate-oriented databases,
such as Amber Alerts, NCIC (National
Crime Information Center) downloads, etc.
Vehicle matches are reported instantly,
allowing the officer to take appropriate action, which in the case of the Star News report,
was recovery of a stolen vehicle.
When a positive match is received, officers
are alerted by an audio and/or visual alarm. Until an alert occurs, the PlateScan system operates in the background, allowing the officers to perform their regular police activities. PlateScan software uses an intelligent “Neural Network” based recognition
engine. The system is capable of
accurate high speed plate recognition across multiple lanes of high density traffic moving at speeds of well over 100 miles per hour. The system is capable of processing four vehicle
license plates per second, and reading four recognition cameras simultaneously.
PlateScan is just one example of the new technologies used to fight crime in Alhambra, and it has proved successful in making our streets, and our community, safer for us all. |
