VICKSBURG, Miss. — The Vicksburg Police Department says its Flock license plate reader system helped recover a vehicle obtained through an alleged fraud scheme and led to an arrest on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Officer Fabian Taylor responded Friday, July 3, to a fraud complaint after a man reported he had been contacted on Facebook by someone identifying himself as Joshua Reed, who expressed interest in buying the victim’s truck, the department said. The two met and the suspect gave a cashier’s check for $30,000. Believing the check was legitimate, the victim turned over the keys and title.
The victim later attempted to cash the check at Chase Bank and was told the check was counterfeit, the department said. Officers entered the vehicle into the Flock system as a vehicle of interest. The Flock system, a network of license plate reading cameras that can generate real-time alerts, notified officers of the truck’s presence in the city on Saturday, and officers located the vehicle.
Officers identified and arrested Tevaughntae Rashad Owens, the department said. Vicksburg Police Chief Larry Burns said the case shows how technology assists officers in locating vehicles connected to criminal investigations. “This case is another example of how our Flock camera system is helping officers quickly locate vehicles connected to criminal activity. What could have been a lengthy search was significantly shortened because of the real-time alert generated by the system. These cameras continue to be an important tool in helping us protect our community and support ongoing investigations,” he said.
The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges or suspects may be identified as the case progresses. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vicksburg Police Department at (601) 636-2511 or Crime Stoppers at (601) 355-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be submitted anonymously through the P3 Tips app. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
