A license plate reader helped Lebanon, Tennessee, police find a stolen car, WSMV reported on July 19, 2026. The department’s system alerted officers to a stolen Mazda 6 near South Hartmann Drive and Interstate 40. Police found the car at a tire shop on Leeville Pike and arrested a 55-year-old North Carolina woman without incident. She was also in possession of suspected fentanyl and drug paraphernalia, police said.
At a glance
- Agency
- Lebanon Police Department
- Alert area
- South Hartmann Drive and Interstate 40
- Found
- At a tire shop on Leeville Pike
- Arrest
- A 55-year-old North Carolina woman, without incident
- Also found
- Suspected fentanyl and drug paraphernalia
How the plate reader helped
This is what the report says about the technology’s role.
- The reader system alerted officers to a stolen Mazda near the interstate.
- Officers then located the car at a tire shop.
The outcome
- The driver was arrested and the stolen car was recovered.
In the news
“A license plate reader helped Lebanon Police Department find a stolen car.”
The excerpt is quoted word for word. The rest of this page paraphrases the same report, so names, dates and figures are the reporter’s or the agency’s, not ours. Where a report does not say something, we do not guess.
Context and caveats
- The department said it is grateful for the technology and the officers using it. Several Middle Tennessee cities now use readers.
License plate readers are one investigative tool among several. They flag vehicles and give investigators leads; officers, detectives and the public do the rest, and every lead still has to be verified. For how agencies govern the technology, see our policy and data-retention guide and the accuracy guide.
How Intelvi AI fits
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Frequently asked questions
What did Lebanon police find?
A stolen Mazda 6, at a tire shop; the driver was arrested and also had suspected fentanyl, per WSMV.
Do other nearby cities use readers?
WSMV noted several Middle Tennessee cities, including Lebanon and Mt. Juliet, have them.