Flock traffic cameras set up in Ferndale as part of a pilot program helped police catch an armed robbery suspect three weeks after an attempted holdup at knifepoint.
Ferndale police said the suspect – James Heflin, 24, of Oak Park – was arrested Thursday.
He is accused of attempting to rob the 7-Eleven store at the corner of 1040 W. Nine Mile Road and Pinecrest Drive.
Police were called after a man armed with a knife entered the store and demanded money from a man working at the store around 3:55 p.m. Feb. 28.
But a customer interrupted the robbery and the suspect drove off in a silver colored SUV.
No one was injured.
Police investigated and later determined the make and model of the SUV and got a description of the suspect, Ferndale police said in a statement.
“Detectives used the Flock system to obtain the suspect’s vehicle’s license plate number,” police spokesman Evan Ahlin said in a statement.
Just after 7 p.m. Thursday police got an alert from Flock that the suspect’s vehicle had entered Ferndale.
“Officers conducted a traffic stop and upon further investigation discovered evidence that connected the driver to the … armed robbery,” Ahlin said.
Ferndale police Monday would not disclose what evidence officers discovered in the suspect’s SUV.
Heflin was arrested without incident and arraigned Friday on a count of armed robbery before Ferndale 43rd District Magistrate J. Patrick Brennan.
The suspect, who police said has no prior criminal history, is being held on $100,000 cash bond at the Oakland County Jail.
Heflin requested a court-appointed attorney at his arraignment. He is scheduled for a probable cause conference in Ferndale District Court at 1 p.m.
If he does not waive his right to a preliminary examination, the exam is tentatively set for 2 p.m. April 8, according to court records.
The charge against Heflin is a felony punishable by up to life imprisonment.
Ferndale city council members about a year ago voted to approve the use of the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system in a contract with Flock Safety.
Ferndale Police Chief Dennis Emmi said at the time the system is being used as part of a two-year pilot program at a total cost of about $50,000.
Photos taken of license plates are used by police for a range of law enforcement functions, from identifying stolen or wanted vehicles and missing persons to gathering information on active warrants, finding suspects and recovering stolen property.
Other nearby police agencies using the system include Hazel Park, Southfield, Madison, Heights, Troy, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and Michigan State Police also use the cameras. Royal Oak is set to start installing them in the coming weeks.
The cameras take photos of license plates in a system that is interfaced with other law enforcement departments that have “hot lists” of serious crimes where a vehicle is seen or known to be connected to a possible suspect.
Alerts are sent among police agencies when a license plate matches a vehicle used in a crime. It is estimated a motor vehicle is used in about 70 percent of crimes that are committed.