FREE searchable database of nationwide License Plate Reader captured data

[Georgetime]

I got this link from a US Marshal who taught a fugitive tracking class recently. It is very impressive. The functionality is limited to 15 free searches a week for each agency's ORI. Of course you can buy unlimited searches and deeper search functionality and real time alerts, but for most of us I think the free stuff will suffice. They not only collect data from law enforcement agencies that use ALPR systems, but from private repo companies as well. One of the folks from another area agency just signed up today and found her personal vehicle captured. It must have been a repo company because our area doesn't use ALPR technology. You input the tag and it will give you a picture of the car, the date and time it was spotted and pinpoint where the photo was taken on Google Maps. Could be extremely useful in fugitive tracking, among other things.

http://nvls-lpr.com/nvls/Default.aspx

[rfburns]

(deleted - all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy)

[Georgetime]

FWIW, I've tried it before and found it to be crap.

The price is right. Limited functionality Vs No functionality... guess which one wins?

There were no reads at all from my area (because my area doesn't use that vendor for LPR systems),

Don't know how you'd verify this with the ability to only search for a specific tag number. Just because the number you're looking for didn't hit doesn't mean they don't cover that area. From reading into it the company doesn't just provide ALPR systems but sells their services of database access across multiple vendors' platforms.

and every time you searched for something, it played a video advertising something. I got the impression it was nothing but a front for getting you to buy the "next level".

Well, I guess they're not running a charity. I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. If even one search turns up something useful it will be well worth the zero dollars and zero cents I invested in it. We don't even have LPR systems on ANY law enforcement vehicle in my entire county, and yet thanks to this company LPR images turned up here, so the potential is there for me. Maybe you didn't find it useful, but someone else might.

[LE2BE]

I've used it a few times and recently caught an ADW (w/ firearm) suspect based on the photographs and maps that are generated from this site. We were able to get a general location of where the suspect parked his vehicle and other leads on where he might be. Granted, we field plenty of cars in LA with LPR systems, so their is plenty of data on a lot of cars.

I like Free things that work.

[Georgetime]

I like Free things that work.

Bingo. Obviously if you don't have LPR coverage then it won't work. Saying it's "crap" because of that is like saying Lojack is crap because you've never gotten a Lojack hit and recovery on a vehicle because you don't have Lojack trackers or coverage in your area. I am surprised that my area has any coverage at all and it has to be coming from private repo companies. That they also have the capability and are uploading data dramatically increases the data set and really is quite impressive.

[rfburns]

(deleted - all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy)