A traffic stop for a stolen vehicle based on an alert from the Flock Camera system resulted in the arrest of a 33-year-old Roanoke Rapids man for possessing the vehicle which was reported stolen from Northampton County.

Roanoke Rapids police Chief Bobby Martin said the stop also resulted in the seizure of a concealed weapon and a black bag with drug paraphernalia.

The arrest Wednesday of Joshua Fisher occurred around 11 a.m. when Lieutenant J. Baggett, Sergeant D. Moore and Master Officer S. Langley responded to the area of 15 Roanoke Avenue after an alert of a stolen vehicle came through the system.

Moore spotted the vehicle as Fisher pulled into the avenue Shell station.

Baggett and Langley encountered three people in the vehicle and detained them during a search.

The search revealed a .38 revolver in the rear area of the passenger seat and the paraphernalia inside the bag.

The passengers were not not charged.

Fisher was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and carrying a concealed weapon.

He received a $10,000 secured bond and is scheduled for a first district court appearance Friday.

“The Flock Camera system has been a huge asset to the Roanoke Rapids Police Department,” Martin said. “The cameras have given us the ability to recover more stolen vehicles, plates, arrest wanted subjects, along with the recovery of drugs and guns.”

This system is shared with other agencies in the area to help locate vehicles potentially involved in crimes. 

Martin said since the first year of use the police department has received 315 hits regarding vehicles entered into the system.

The system has also read 1,143,216 different tags from January 1 to now. “We are excited to have this tool to assist us with the fight against crime,” Martin said.