License plate cameras at Home Depot and Lowe’s spark privacy fears

Source Domain: www.wfmd.com

You pull into a Home Depot or Lowe’s parking lot to grab mulch, paint or a new patio chair. You probably expect security cameras near the entrance. What you may not expect is a camera that captures your license plate as you drive in or out.

That is now reportedly happening at some Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in Connecticut. The cameras are automated license plate readers, also known as ALPRs. They photograph the back of a vehicle, record the plate number and log details such as time and location.

Retailers say the systems help prevent theft and protect customers and employees. Police say the cameras can help solve crimes. However, privacy advocates worry that shoppers may have little idea when their plate is being scanned or who can later search that data.

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Automated license plate readers use cameras and software to capture plate numbers from passing vehicles. Police departments often use them on roads to look for stolen cars, missing vehicles or suspects tied to active investigations.

Now, similar systems are showing up in retail parking lots. In Connecticut, Flock Safety cameras have been installed at some Home Depot and Lowe’s locations. Flock Safety’s license plate reader technology captures vehicle information, including license plates and vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color on the property. The company said its system does not use facial recognition.

That means a quick trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s could create a searchable data point tied to your vehicle. Also, more than two dozen police departments in the state use automated plate readers.

Home Depot and Lowe’s say the cameras are used for security, theft prevention and public safety.

In a statement to CyberGuy, a Home Depot spokesperson said, “We’ve had parking area security cameras in place at our stores for many years, as many retailers do. These cameras are used solely…

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