How license plate readers led police to Las Vegas Tesla attack suspect


When Las Vegas law enforcement announced that they had arrested the alleged Tesla attacker, Sheriff Kevin McMahill emphasized the importance of the technology used to solve the case. One such piece of technology was a Flock Safety license plate reader (LPR) system, which McMahill said gave law enforcement its “first clue.” 

McMahill told reporters on March 27 that he had started to wonder if the case would ever be solved. However, the sheriff, who desires to run the “most technologically advanced police department in the country,” recognized Flock Safety’s system for the major role it played in the investigation.

Alleged Tesla attacker Paul Hyon Kim faces a string of charges, including federal offenses.

Police say Kim arrived near the location in a black Hyundai Elantra before walking over to the Tesla building. He was allegedly dressed in all black and had his face covered.

Paul Hyon Kim, 36, is charged with firebombing several Tesla vehicles at a Las Vegas dealership. (Hal Sparks via Storyful/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police)

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“We’re a proud partner of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department and have been for a few years,” Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley told FOX Business. 

According to Langley, the system that led to Kim’s arrest was deployed about two years ago. The tech CEO said that since the system was deployed, it has helped the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) make “successful apprehensions every day, all day.”

What makes Flock Safety’s system unique is what Langley describes as a “plain English-like search” that can be instrumental in tracking down suspects. Once police officers have a license plate, they can enter it into the system and set it so that the nearest officer will be notified if the vehicle is in the area again. 

Example of one of Flock Safety’s systems. (Flock Safety)

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“When you give law enforcement modern technology, they are very effective at their job. But absent that technology, they are not magicians, they need this technology to be effective,” Langley told FOX Business.

Langley, like McMahill, sees technology as playing a key role in the future of law enforcement and fighting crime. He predicts that technology like Flock Safety’s will lead to more objective policing, faster response times and higher clearance rates, meaning criminals will be more likely to be held accountable. 

Flock Safety has deployed its systems across the U.S., and each one is tailored to that community’s specific needs. When the company builds deployment plans, it does so with local law enforcement’s assessment of crime types and the areas that are most affected.

A law enforcement officer uses Flock Safety in a police cruiser. (Flock Safety)

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