21/09/2026
**PRESS RELEASE FROM CHIEF THOMPSON**
In the early morning hours of Sunday, 09/20/2026, Wi******er Police were called to Lowe’s for vandalism to two of their Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras. One camera was taken down and intentionally damaged while the other was removed from its post and stolen. Shortly after responding to Lowe’s, we discovered that four WPD ALPR’s were also vandalized on the West end of town in the same area.
Mt. Sterling Police also notified us that they had numerous ALPR cameras vandalized overnight as well. Criminal Investigations staff from Wi******er PD and Mt Sterling PD teamed up to assist Patrol in reviewing security camera footage from multiple businesses in the area of these events as well as utilizing ALPR cameras to identify a suspect and build a timeline of these criminal events.
Late yesterday evening, Mt. Sterling PD Investigators executed a search warrant at 201 South Queen Street and took the suspect into custody without incident. As a result of the search warrant, Investigators were able to seize the clothing worn, tools and vehicle used, along with other identifiable evidence linking the suspect to the crime. Robert Taylor was lodged in the Montgomery County Regional Jail with Montgomery County charges from Mt. Sterling PD and SIX counts of felony Criminal Mischief, 1st degree, stemming from his criminal excursion in Wi******er in the early morning hours of 09/20/2026.
There continues to be a false narrative of information spread on social media about the use of ALPR cameras. The Wi******er Police Department has complied with all rules & regulations in regard to ALPR devices and will continue to do so. While we respect the opinions of those that oppose these devices, resorting to criminal activity of vandalism to destroy these devices is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Vandalism of this magnitude creates significant financial strain on an already very tight Police budget funded with citizen tax dollars. These devices continue to be instrumental assisting in solving crime, locating missing or endangered persons, and locating stolen vehicles and/or license plates. ALPR devices were used to assist in identifying the suspect in this very incident. I have been extremely transparent as to the Wi******er Police Department’s use of these devices and our strict internal system to prevent any misuse of them.
I would like to personally thank Chief Noel and the Mt. Sterling Police Department for teaming up with our staff to investigate and quickly make an arrest for this incident.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
- Chief Travis Thompson
