Innocent driver’s license plates wrongly flagged as wanted

Imagine being wanted by police for someone else’s crime-that’s what a St. Louis man was dealing with until calling FOX 2 for help.
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[@athenian221]

They tell him to be careful with other departments because they will draw their guns yet the guy they're looking for is running around with no problems. This is what incompetence looks like.

[@ibe310]

THEY CAN EASILY NOTIFY THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES

[@generalohu7782]

@@ibe310Of course they can but they won’t.

[@chazw3x]

Also, it's so simple for them to notify the department that entered the info incorrectly and have them fix it. This is just lazy police that don't honestly care.

[@Erawk]

@@ibe310 that doesn't raise revenue so why would they do a silly thing like that?

[@GotKimchi]

Blue Lives Matter! Rep that thin blue line!

[@sinebar]

When a victim tries to resolve an issue like this to the police they file under not our problem. But when it goes public then suddenly it's a problem.

[@themartdog]

Usually it isn't something they could fix even if they wanted to. Sounds like the state police were the ones with the warrant so local police can't just delete it. Governor's office probably needs to do it. That's bureaucracy for you.

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

That is why he can and should SUE them, because that is willfull negligent misconduct by public servants! 😱😁🤪👍👍🇺🇸

[@ygrittesnow1701]

@@TinyHouseHomestead Let's not sugar coat it. This is not a mistake. It is a crime. A violation of his rights. Any seizure of a person without lawful reason is a crime. Their negligence is not an excuse.

[@gb1613]

@@themartdog The video stated that it was St. Louis PD that entered it into the system.

[@gb1613]

@@TinyHouseHomestead They'll just claim 'qualified immunity' and walk free. Police are immune from any legal consequences 99% of the time which is why you see them engage in illegal behavior so often.

[@sharbymj]

News organizations who investigate and help resolve things like this are doing a community service. Kudos

[@Nick210]

They were acting like it’s his fault

[@MiClLC]

Government is never in the wrong, in their eyes.

[@krane15]

You have to realize the cops don't care. As long as they have a suspect to arrest. They let God sort out the rest.

[@werefrogofassyria6609]

It is his fault. It's never the cops' fault.

[@SirPatrickBossington]

Because when you're a 'perfect human' like every officer of the law mistakes are never yours.

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

No integrity

[@johnbartholf777]

Actual journalists doing actual quality journalism! Well done! I'm genuinely glad this still exists because most people who call themselves journalists lately are trash.

[@HandsomeBlackMusle]

The REAL question is why TF is this the second time? It should have been fixed the first time. It can be easily fixed. They just dont want to or are lazy

[@jerryw5508]

it was entered by St Louis PD. now when it is entering into the system, it is nationwide. So if he was travelling in Kansas and they ran the tag, he could be stopped. But there have been tags run on in car computer that was misunderstood by the officer. They have to be aware enough to see the tag does or does not belong the vehicle.

[@generalohu7782]

@@jerryw5508it don’t matter who entered in the system! Someone along the way can update or contact the correct PD and get them to “fix” their “mistake”

[@jerryw5508]

@@generalohu7782 The entries cannot be updated. Any errors have to be purged and then re-entered with the correct information. If this problem persist, then the proper result is loss of access to the system. Which means no entering of wanted persons or property. That this a part of the NCIC program rules. The entry was most likely a low level date entry person, but had to have gone to the course of instruction on its proper procedures.

[@sicsempertyrannis1849]

Sounds like typical govt... yeah, we messed up and you're a victim of our incompetence but... good news! We can't fix our mistake either!

[@generalohu7782]

@@jerryw5508 If you’d of finished reading my comment I went on to say contact the correct PD and get them to fix their mistake ie purge etc

[@Wipsplash]

Amazing nobody does anything until the camera gets put on them then it's taken care of.

[@krane15]

Why would they? The system give no advantage to the cops. Cops get credit for making arrests. Not for helping find people innocent.

[@Stuygym]

Exactly!

[@TheTishy44]

What is sad is they have to go to the friggin news station to get the cops to finally fix it.

[@user-mh2ye9nf3y]

This level of incompetence bg law enforcement is unacceptable.

[@jaysen6938]

At least he wasn't tased, beaten, arrested, and charged with Resisting and Obstruction like so many other innocents.

[@dragonsboon2316]

Is he was a person of color he would of been you are right he is lucky

[@swampfox1732]

@@dragonsboon2316🤡

[@fredsmith4438]

The officer says, "Hopefully we can get this resolved here soon". Yeah, hopefully before you get tortured, tased, shot and handcuffed.....over a mistake.

[@ned6938]

It's not a mistake. It's incompetence.

[@eazye088]

Negligence on gov

[@newshodgepodge6329]

Over SOMEONE ELSE'S "mistake."

[@Mafiaagg742]

they really need to stop being greedy running innocent people’s plates

[@bauman1rj]

The fundamental inability of police to verify an address, the correct license plate, or vehicle/ individuals description shows the abysmal state of policing in today’s America.

[@fredsmith4438]

Exactly. Guilty until PROVEN innocent.

[@krane15]

When will folks learn that the police nor the DA look for reasons to invalidate a suspect. There is zero benefit to them for devoting energy to doing that.

[@loribach534]

How in the hell is this possible? The St Louis Police need to report the problem to a higher authority, not warn or put fear into the driver! This is incompetence!

[@krane15]

Unmitigated incompetent by the police. Welcome to Murica.

[@sayitaintso7544]

Happened to me around 2020. Cops repeatedly stopped me thinking my car was stolen because the tag number. He may not get relief until he changes his tag. Someone dropped the ball or entered the car and numbers wrong but the citizen has to correct their failure.

[@UncleKennysPlace]

They blur out the plate at the beginning, then clearly show it at 2:00. Brilliant.

[@Courtney1992]

They though that man’s shirt would be enough of a distraction

[@jondoe406]

DAD WUF

[@AbNomal621]

There is no mystery. This was plain lazy actions from an agency with no care about the effect on citizens. Reality is that the situation should cost the agency $1000 for the first attempt to clear it. That should jump to $10,000 and removal of the guilty party from being able to work the public sector.

[@TEverettReynolds]

You missed the point that his RUF plate was actually used in the commission of a crime, they probably have a pic or a video to prove it. There are no lazy actions here. Someone at the shop let the perp "borrow" this guy's plate and then returned it when done. They did this to not flag the plate as stolen, giving the perp more time to do the same thing elsewhere. All the while knowing the police will be looking for the real plate owner, not the perp. Its a good plan and clearly works...

[@dgpofficial3640]

⁠@@TEverettReynoldsyou missed the point that the plate did not commit the crime, and neither did this man. Therefore, everything you said doesn’t matter. You can’t keep going around road pirate-ing an innocent man and his plate because you’re too lazy to clear it and look for the PERSON who comitt the crime

[@krane15]

@@TEverettReynolds Of course its laziness. The cops already know the man in the pickup is not the suspect. The moment they stopped him a second time shows their level of incompetence. If the TV station hadn't publicized it, the man would still be getting terrorized by the cops. The cop here admitted that.

[@Pam-777]

My brother in law got pulled over and car impounded because someone in a different city has the same name as his and whomever input info into the system as him. He had to go to court and paid to get his car out of impound

[@knerduno5942]

And didn't demand to be reimbursed?

[@howlinwulf]

​@@knerduno5942wouldn't do any good. They will tear down someone's house and because of qualified Immunity they don't pay for nothing. I know it's wrong!!

[@knerduno5942]

@@howlinwulf The Institute for Justice was able to successfully sue a police department under the Takings Clause for damaging innocent people's house.

[@karlrovey]

​@@knerduno5942That was overturned by the appeals court.

[@knerduno5942]

@@karlrovey The Supreme Court could probably take it up. There was a case just recently in Texas about the state putting up a retainer wall to keep a highway from flooding. The highway did not flood, but it caused nearby farm land to flood and retain water for long periods of time causing damage. The Supreme Court decided in favor for the farmers based on the takings clause. IJ handled the case.

[@drspankymfc]

So why is cop running plate without a legit reason to begin with

[@thadrepairsitall1278]

I agree. Now they have license plate readers at my neighborhood just collecting data.

[@chavitacanta008]

They read plates all day and night have special cars just for tag reading ! Some cities have them mounted on red light poles like traffic cameras that read EVERY car that passes ! Welcome to big brother 21st century edition !

[@Manc-king]

Every car gets ran they normally have a camera that reads plates and flags them

[@martingonzalez9399]

There might be a simple answer to your question. The platereaders are biased and do not profile people based on the color of their skin or ethnic background. The plate is compared to the database, and if it comes back clean their is no reason to stop you. Remember, it could be your vehicle that was stolen.

[@miked172]

Plates fall in the plain view doctrine. Police are allowed to run plates on anyone for any reason. I don't like it, but I don't necessarily disagree with it.

[@johnpaulwebb3440]

Cop tells an innocent man to beware of other cops. Just Imagine if this man took a trip to Chicago.

[@bobthetitanic]

How do they keep scanning it and they still pull him over , get rid of qualified immunity.

[@jerryw5508]

easy for you to say. nothing will get done

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

Automatic plate readers in their cars. And we seem to be stuck with qualified immunity.

[@karlrovey]

It's an automatic scanner with the "wanted" classification coming from another department.

[@PliskinYT]

First car probably didn't know he already got pulled over for it, his backup knew the guy from the first stop

[@monarnyc]

Just take the information on his car off the computer

[@thechosen481]

I bought a 2006 GMC Yukon back in 2009 and was constantly harassed by cops and deputies in California because the previous owner had a warrant. Ironically, I used to work law enforcement in another city with auto theft so I was aware how much DMV information is in every PD/SD computer. We never harassed anyone because of PREVIOUS OWNERS issues. In fact, once I was pulled over for nothing and the cop stated, "You know that there's a warrant on your plate?" I asked, "Is it for me or someone else like past owner." The anger on her face proved the lack of education of running plates because DMV states on the registration when the current owner takes ownership. I fully explained to the cop that when you run a license plate/VIN, it should tell you when the car is sold and who the lien holder is. In my case, the guy's warrant was in 2008, therefore if the car is sold in 2009 then obviously, I wasn't the guy in question.

[@slomotrainwreck]

The cops just will not admit that they 'fat fingered' the entry into the computer. SMH

[@sprky777]

Cops cannot accept fault. It's in their department policy and drilled into them over years of academy training.

[@remymarman]

The question is why are they running his plates for no reason.

[@jondoe406]

Fishing expedition

[@lbaker3602001]

I'm on a National 'watch list' because my ex room mate was a dispatcher for a sheriffs dept. & we had a domestic violence fight, she lost. Last couple of times I went to the hospital for treatment a police offer was called & stood right in front of me until I was seen by the Dr.

[@ethanWELAN]

That dog shirt is definitely a shirt of an innocent man...

[@shanebethune9032]

They should be held liable

[@JGarcia2016]

If yall already know wtf they keep stoping him for.!??

[@richwightman3044]

When you make a mistake, you must pay for it. When the government makes a mistake, you must pay for it.

[@ianbattles7290]

Where's all the bootlickers who say "don't break the law and the cops won't bother you" whenever something like this happens???

[@tankandspank]

The bar for the job of police officer is very low these days.

[@jimmycain8669]

Look how they are treated for low pay no wonder the quality is low.

[@fdx997]

What bar? Wal-Mart does a better background check and has higher standards to work a cash register than we have in the police departments.

[@deecollins2661]

@@jimmycain8669lol they don’t get low pay.

[@marlock6573]

@@jimmycain8669 How are they treated? They're the highest paid government workers on average, and they have near total immunity from accountability. They've faced public backlash due to their sheer incompetence and unchecked malicious behavior.

[@EarlWalsh-gf4ut]

​@@jimmycain8669 6 figures is low pay? since when?

[@thestonemason6561]

Yeah before they get sued for harassment

[@toddaulner5393]

Super dangerous situation!

[@noodles894]

But the news or police wouldn't mention the person that was actually wanted😂 law enforcement and the news is a joke😢

[@fredsmith4438]

If this is what it takes to get things done in St. Louis Missouri who would ever live there?

[@kevinmoore2929]

Woke snowflakes and sheeple

[@Romulan112]

I was there. We don't care about his clearing it up. We really don't care. We didn't resolve it until the news got involved and the Mayor called.

[@BigD4Real.]

The incompetence in the department of motor vehicles, and the police is astounding. I myself was arrested just 30 days ago for driving on a revoked or suspended license. Turns out they just made a mistake, and I spent a night in jail for no reason and my court case was was dismissed before I even got there after I’d already taken the day off work to go.

[@danababy1977]

If he was black it would have been a different story

[@mckenziepictures]

Here's a guy who looks like a friendly puppy, gleefully holds puppies, wearing a shirt full of puppies, being as cooperative as a puppy, and the cops want to draw guns on him?

[@GoodOciferBadOcifer]

The badges have FAR too much power. This is NOT an isolated incident. End Qualified Immunity #EndQualifiedImmunity

[@davidburnett5049]

Thank you, Fox 2. You did a good thing.

[@patrickday4206]

Cops can't do paperwork until they are on the hotspot

[@dancruze]

I guess so?

[@40thplumengineering61]

Same happend to me a few years back. Had a bench warrant issued for me over parking tickets . It took for ever to clear it up.

[@robevans5222]

It's bad enough that militarized cops got it wrong the first time, but to not have this error rectified immediately??!! Cases like this are prime examples of why citizens should sue the cr*p out of law enforcement. Throughout america, there are now many situations in which you are presumed guilty and expected by over-zealous law enforcement to prove your innocence.

[@frankgardiner5002]

I'm glad the issue of the plate is cleared up for him but why did it take a news company to sort it all out it should of been done by the police once it was established that he wasn't the one they are looking for

[@crinklecut3790]

How difficult is it to fix this? Why did it take the local news getting involved? Seems like the police would report this after the first traffic stop.

[@YoureMrLebowski]

2:00 that's one hell of a shirt.

[@a32tl]

1:55 He is now wanted by the fashion police for wearing that shirt. That is downright criminal!

[@michael85225]

This kept happening to my brother in Arizona. Started in 2018 when they dragged him out of his car at gunpoint and accused him of murdering someone in Tuscon and he has never been in that city before. Then it started again in 2023 when they kept on pulling him over and accusing him of having a warrant for a marijuana offense. He had to register the car in my name to get this nonsense to stop as no police department was willing to fix this issue.

[@limitlesspursuit]

Sounds pretty police like to me.

[@scbane]

Don't answer questions, ask questions. "Why are you randomly running my plates?" For starters. Cops are never your friends. Edit: cops didn't care how much they inconvenienced this guy until the news got involved. They were perfectly happy to harass this guy over and over.

[@tugmeboat]

Aw, this poor man thinks he no longer needs to worry about being pulled over....you should still worry.

[@kpdvw]

How much did they pay for harassing the poor guy?

[@whatsreal7506]

Incompetence on a whole new level😊

[@fremontpathfinder8463]

The mechanic or one of the other workers in the shop is to blame

[@davidhoward4715]

No, the corrupt and incompetent cops are to blame.

[@chrislj2890]

The heck with the money, I'd get new plates just to avoid getting shot accidentally. That shirt really cracked me up.

[@danav3387]

How is he going to be careful? You still cannot trust that they have cleared your tag. A lawsuit needs to be filed whoever entered the incorrect information needs to be charged.

[@growlusnotneeded3251]

They had no intention of solving the issue.

[@hammerdragon4321]

Just use your Jedi powers and say these aren’t the plates you’re looking for 😂😂😂😂😂

[@bruceblackwell2205]

Yeah cuz it takes 15 cops to write one ticket

[@mbourque]

it's horrible that it takes embarrassing the public image of the police in order to get them to correct their mistake that could taken the freedom and even the life of an innocent citizen, and that they couldn't just do this on their own after being informed by the citizen about the mistake.... once again. it's "the government is never wrong, until it can be exposed that they are wrong, but in the mean time, they ruin peoples' lives and livelihoods...."

[@mlong9475]

He needs to sue ! It's not even his fault.

[@Zak6959]

And this is why lawyers were invented.

[@hypershadow87]

*His shirt. 😐 HIS SHIRT!!!* 🤣

[@jefferykeeper9034]

It's amazing that how can be done when the news gets involved.

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

He should sue for defamation, slander, and distress, for this willful NEGLIGENCE of the officers, departments, and agencies! 😱😁🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸

[@markinns8771]

I like how they blur part of the plate just to clearly show it later.

[@ricladouceur6202]

Why don't they just get the warrants of his plates!

[@jeffreygoss8109]

Why the hell should he have to clear it up!?!

[@neilkurzman4907]

Because if he doesn’t, who would

[@SirPatrickBossington]

They made the mistake yet he has to clear it up what a f****** joke.

[@damham5689]

You know that old saying about how cops will jump on it like a dog on a bone. Well its true. Like a dog if they see another dog with a bone they will pounce on it, chomp it, fight for it, macerate it, grab it and hold it, and bury it, even though they know they are completely wrong and its not their bone to begin with. But they want it so they wont back down.

[@ammo4uragingjudge559]

Why are they randomly running plates in the first place.

[@richwightman3044]

You got a government bureaucracy to undo their lazy paperwork mistake? You must have supernatural powers!

[@jakeneal5659]

How many people are in jail or prison for victimless crimes... Cause if there are no victims.. There is no crime.

[@GothicGeek84]

blurs first part of plate, shows the whole plate visible in background while talking to him in parking lot.

[@dennisfuchtman]

why are they running his plates and stopping him then

[@alexrodgers9247]

He NEEDS to demand paperwork that this IN FACT has been cleared up! And HE is dimwitted if he trusts the word of anyone saying ‘you’re good to go’! Get it in writing, make copies of the CERTIFIED paperwork. Carry one in your truck….LAMINATED. If ANYONE stops your for this again….buy a lottery ticket, then sue any and all involved. Maybe this is one example of incompetence from the ‘defund’ crap!

[@RayleighCriterion]

Just send the police a legal notice that his fee for a traffic stop is $50,000 per stop.

[@SeanMorrisonRocks]

He should sue

[@samelioto476]

I'm hoping that they're investigating the mechanic.

[@mikeelek9713]

He should be more worried about that shirt he is wearing! That might be worthy of a felony charge.😁

[@LargeDude2023]

I probably would have gotten a different license plate to avoid any future problems, if it continued to be an issue.

[@fk4515]

Maybe there should be some “warrants” attached to some St Louis police officer’s cars? Or maybe some warrants issued against St Louis Police department leadership for conspiracy to deny constitutional rights? Making a mistake is one thing, doubling down on that mistake is another and if not considered a crime should be identified as an indication that you’re to stupid to be a cop.

[@gwiz2970]

I would have an anxiety attack.

[@mikemissildine370]

What's the difference between a GOLD TRUCK and a SILVER CAR??? Seriously folks, I can't see it, they look the same to me....

[@robertwallace5652]

See the difference between the interaction with this man and the other men in Toledo a total 360.

[@user-dz1fq2di1g]

so the cops know it's not him but cops still stop him, wow such stupidity

[@TEverettReynolds]

Wow, so it seems like someone at the shop let the perp "borrow" his plate and then returned it... Crazy but possible. By returning the plate, it doesn't get flagged as stolen, giving the perp more time to "borrow" another plate and just keep moving on...

[@kpdvw]

"They will Investigate" and find nothing and nobody @ fault.....!

[@danmartens8855]

We investigated ourselves and found that our incompetence is so widespread it can never be resolved. But we decided to temporarily remove your plate from the wanted listed until this tv episode blows over and then we will scrumptiously flag your plate again.

[@frankdalton483]

Just think about the danger the government has put this man in.

[@user-ti7yt9vj2f]

It's cleared up until next time

[@jreinel1966]

Return those plates and get new ones,problem fix...!

[@nhansen197]

The person who entered the plate is incompetent. If they'd run the plate before entering it would have come up as belonging to a different vehicle and they'd have known that something was off.

[@SpotTheBorgCat]

Love the guy's Dog shirt!! LOL

[@chrisn7259]

I love the way the dumb cops told him to clear it up. No, They should clear it up!

[@johnland6006]

That actually doesn't sound far fetched at all.

[@iamdenislara]

So a cop told him other cops will kill him without provocation. WOW.

[@mr_imperfectiongamingchann1962]

Then people wonder why private plates on their cars.

[@pontificusvascillious5287]

he should start a dog shirt company ...

[@keithgreen9009]

Why could the police not get plate sorted out , but it took a tv station to phone up to help ....