Automatic License Plate Scanner Finds Stolen Lexus in NJ

stealing out of purse

Two North Brunswick men were charged under suspicion of Receiving Stolen Property in New Brunswick, according to a July 30 report on nj.com. The New Brunswick officer was able to determine that the 2000 tan Lexus 300 was a stolen vehicle and apprehend the suspects because his patrol car is equipped with an automatic license plate reader.

After the officer’s license plate reader notified him that the vehicle was stolen, the officer then followed the vehicle and pulled it over near Joyce Kilmer Ave. The nineteen and twenty-one year-old North Brunswick residents were then apprehended and booked without incident.

In New Jersey, Receipt of Stolen Property is a serious charge in which the severity of the penalties increases with the degree of the crime and the value of the property received. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C: 20-11, the grading of Receiving Stolen Property is as follows:

  • 2nd Degree – if the property is valued at more than $75,000; punishable by 5 – 10 years in prison with a presumption of incarceration.
  • 3rd Degree – if the property is valued at between $500 and $75,000; punishable by up 3 – 5 years in prison.
  • 4th Degree – if the property is valued at $200.00 – $500.00; punishable by up to 18 months in state prison.
  • Disorderly Persons Offense – if the property is less than $200; punishably by up to 6 months in county jail.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of William Proetta Criminal Law assist clients facing theft charges including Receipt of Stolen Property throughout Middlesex County and New Brunswick in addition to the surrounding areas of EdisonWoodbridge, North Brunswick, and Sayreville.

With more than a decade of experience defending clients against criminal charges, founding partner William A. Proetta has successfully handled and tried thousands of cases, from DWI to murder. As a New Jersey native, he has focused his career on helping people in the area where he grew up, serving Middlesex, Ocean, Hudson, and Union counties.