Apex police tout Flock-assisted larceny arrest as town committee delays decision on contract

Event: October 1, 2026 · First reported: October 2, 2026 · 1 source

Apex, North Carolina's Public Safety Committee met to consider whether to continue the town's Flock automated license plate reader program, whose contract expires Jan. 31, but adjourned without a recommendation to the town council. Hours earlier, Apex police posted on social media that the cameras helped lead to an arrest near the Beaver Creek Commons shopping area; the department later identified the man as Abdul-Rahman Quadri, charged with misdemeanor larceny in two alleged thefts, one involving $136 in workout equipment from a Target. Police Chief Ryan Johansen said the cameras have had a major effect on crime, and town officials cited a 60% drop in motor vehicle theft since ALPRs were introduced about a year ago. Mayor Jacques Gilbert said committee members want more answers on privacy before deciding.

Why this matters

Apex's contract deadline puts a local government in the position of weighing police-reported crime statistics against privacy concerns, and the timing of the department's social media post drew resident criticism over how such programs are publicly justified.

Key facts

Apex's Flock contract expires Jan. 31; the Public Safety Committee reached no recommendation and plans to revisit the issue Dec. 3.
Town officials reported a 60% reduction in motor vehicle theft since ALPRs were deployed roughly a year ago; the figure comes from the town, not an independent audit.
The arrested man, Abdul-Rahman Quadri, faces misdemeanor larceny charges in two alleged thefts; charges are not convictions.
One resident, Denise Sassaman, characterized the police department's Facebook post as propaganda; commenters were split on the program.
Mayor Jacques Gilbert said the town values the tool but has unresolved privacy questions.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Flock camera used in Apex arrest as town council weighs program’s future (WRAL, October 2, 2026)

More from North Carolina

Everything we have documented in North Carolina, or search every North Carolina article in the archive.

About this record

BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated October 2, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.