Genetec’s AutoVu secures streets of Brussels against vehicle theft

Genetec's IP license plate recognition (LPR) solution

Genetec recently announced that the Anti-Aggression Brigade from the Brussels Police Department has chosen AutoVu, Genetec's IP license plate recognition (LPR) solution, to facilitate the detection of stolen vehicles within the city.  The entire installation consists of six AutoVu Sharp cameras that can be interchangeably mounted on 10 police vehicles and that have been pre-cabled and pre-configured for ease of portability and maximization of usage.

Brussels is the first region in Belgium to test the solution and thus far, the Anti-Aggression Brigade has experienced remarkable results.  Although there has been a decrease in the theft of vehicles in Brussels over the last few years, the Brussels' Anti-Aggression Brigade is finding more cars in their territory that were stolen outside their borders.  "During the first three weeks of having AutoVu on our police cars, we have been able to recover nine stolen vehicles," claims the Chief of the Anti-Aggression Brigade in Brussels.  "We are amazed with the accuracy of the system and could not be happier with our investment."  More than this, Brussels' Anti-Aggression Brigade has enjoyed AutoVu's easy-to-use and touch-enabled interface, which automatically alerts officers of stolen vehicles as the plate is scanned by the LPR camera. 

Zenitel, an independent system integrator in Belgium, proposed the LPR solution to the Brussels Police Department.   Prior to having the AutoVu LPR solution, officers from Brussels' Anti-Aggression Brigade would memorize license plate numbers of wanted vehicles or compare license plates of suspicious vehicles to printed lists or a database on a palmtop.  This manual process of tracking stolen vehicles in the region was not only time consuming but imposed many limitations on officers who would try to cover a lot of ground and vehicles.

"During the first three weeks of having AutoVu on our police cars, we have been able to recover nine stolen vehicles"

Currently, Brussels' Anti-Aggression Brigade is solely using their AutoVu solution to automate the detection of stolen vehicles and disregards licence plate information outside of this objective.  With the immense success they have already experienced, Brussels' Anti-Brigade intends to purchase another four units and is looking at further expanding the application to include the detection of vehicles without car insurance.

"The Brussels Police Department has been pro-active in counteracting vehicle theft in their city with our AutoVu solution," says Jean-Philippe Deby, Territory Manager Benelux - Scandinavia - UK at Genetec.  "We are happy to have helped in this initiative and feel confident that other police departments and municipalities around Belgium and Europe will make similar efforts in fighting automobile theft with our advanced LPR solution."