License plate readers now at Home Depot, Lowe's Home Improvement stores
Large retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s are using a new tool to help prevent thefts and boost public safety.
An automated license plate reader is positioned between some trees at the entrance of Lowe’s in Newington. The camera “automatically captures images of vehicles and their license plates, along with the date, time, and general location,” according to the store’s website.
Theft is an ongoing problem at these kinds of stores. Montville police posted photos of people accused of taking $1,732.82 in merchandise from Home Depot on Tuesday and Wednesday. In December, police busted 13 people in a Home Depot Theft ring that spanned nine states, including Connecticut.
Kimberly Przeszlowki, a criminal justice assistant professor at Quinnipiac University, said there are some privacy concerns when it comes to retailers using automated license plate readers or ALPRs for short.
“They’re not held to the same standards as law enforcement,” she said. “The legal frameworks differ quite a bit, when it comes to just oversight mechanisms, accountability, data retention.”
Lowe’s website says it “only discloses your personal information if required by law or legal process” and it does “not sell ALPR information”, sharing it only with the service provider and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Home Depot’s privacy policy is similar, saying it does not sell or share information to a third party.
The stores’ websites do not specify which manufacturer they license the cameras from, but Flock Safety, a popular company that makes these cameras, said only the organization that uses the cameras has access to them.
Governor Lamont signed a bill on Monday that lays out regulations for license plate readers, such as limiting how long data can be stored.
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