Police instantly track stolen goods using LeadsOnline

April 24,2008

CALDWELL - Law enforcement agencies across the Treasure Valley are switching to a tracking system called LeadsOnline to instantly locate stolen goods. It's the largest online investigative system of its kind nationwide. More than 800 law enforcement agencies across the country are using it.

At about $2,500 a year it's expensive, but agencies like the Caldwell Police Department argue it saves more money in the end because it cuts down on man power. Here's how it works. Pawn shops use the LeadsOnline program to enter all the items they receive into a database.

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"We take so much information from them. We write so much down and we do download it every night," said Don Sprattley, of Jim's Pawn Shop in Middleton.

If stolen items are brought in they can be red flagged. That helps the pawn shop from also falling victim.

"The only recourse we have is if they make an arrest and prosecute the person. They will pay us restitution, possibly." Sprattley said.

"It's a partnership. We pay the bill so that they can have access to it and it helps everybody all the way around because pawn shops and second hand stores, they don't want to buy stolen property anymore than anyone else," said Detective Bill Crawford of the Caldwell Police Department.

LeadsOnline gets second hand stores involved in their program for free as long as they're located in areas where the system is being used. Police in other states have used it to find fugitives. For example, say there's a shooting in the Treasure Valley and the suspect and gun disappear. If the suspect tries to pawn the gun they can be caught in no time at all.

"Even if they end up pawning it in Las Vegas, Nevada, I know I can find that gun and it will search for me all the time until that gun gets found," Detective Crawford said.

He says the tracking system allows officers to focus on serious crimes without abandoning petty theft.