License plate reader leads Virginia Beach Police to suspect in Nov. 16 shooting

Automatic license plate readers were used by Virginia Beach Police to pinpoint a suspect in a Nov. 16 shooting in the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue.

Timothy Kashner, 35, of Suffolk, faces several charges in connection with the shooting, which sent a victim to a local hospital.

Kashner was arrested on Nov. 20.

“Cameras help solve crimes,” said Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate. “Whether it be security cameras or automatic license plate readers, technology plays an invaluable role in our continuing mission to protect and serve our community.”

Virginia Beach installed 19 automatic license plate readers at locations around the city in April, but not without controversy.

The ACLU, among others, has raised issues with the use of ALPRs, saying their use contributes “to the creation of a centralized mass surveillance system of Orwellian scope.”