Flock Alert for Stolen License Plates Leads to High-Risk Traffic Stop in Apple Valley, Two Arrested
Published: May 12th, 2026
EAGAN, MN: A Flock Safety camera alert for a vehicle displaying stolen license plates led to a high-risk traffic stop and criminal charges after Eagan police stopped a vehicle Wednesday evening, driven by a woman allegedly subject to Minnesota's ignition interlock requirements.
According to court documents, the incident began on June 10, 2026, at approximately 8:42 p.m. when an Eagan Police Officer received a Flock alert regarding an older-model Ford Taurus displaying a Wisconsin license plate that had been flagged as stolen. Shortly after receiving the alert, the officer located the vehicle stopped at the traffic-light-controlled intersection of Eagandale Place and Lone Oak Road in Eagan. As she drove past the vehicle, she observed a female driver. Additional officers from the Eagan Police Department were requested, and officers continued to follow the vehicle into Apple Valley until authorities conducted what was described as a high-risk traffic stop on eastbound 127th Street West just east of the northbound on-ramp to Cedar Avenue. Officers secured the vehicle and took its occupants into custody. Police said there were three occupants inside the vehicle. Apple Valley Police also assisted on the scene with traffic control.
The driver was identified as Latoya Maureen Thomas, 41, of Wisconsin. According to the criminal complaint, Officer Thomas read Thomas her Miranda rights before speaking with her about the vehicle and the circumstances surrounding the stop. Thomas reportedly told investigators that the Ford Taurus belonged to the front-seat passenger, identified in court documents only as "ARL." She stated that she was in the process of moving and that ARL had come to assist her and her boyfriend. Thomas further told officers she was driving ARL back to a residence in Wisconsin.
According to the complaint, Thomas said she had known ARL for approximately 1 to 2 years and believed he had recently purchased the vehicle, but she did not know how he had acquired it. During the investigation, officers conducted a records check and discovered Thomas was subject to an ignition interlock restriction on her driving privileges. A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly revealed that the Ford Taurus was not equipped with a required ignition interlock device.
As a result, Thomas is facing a formal criminal complaint alleging that an ignition interlock-restricted driver operated a motor vehicle that was not equipped with an approved ignition interlock device. Authorities also cited another individual for receiving stolen property and bringing stolen goods into the state. Court records indicate that the person was not formally charged at the time of the citation.
No injuries were reported during the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges could be filed as authorities continue reviewing the circumstances surrounding the stolen Wisconsin license plate and the vehicle involved.
Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Pictured: Latoya Maureen Thomas. Provided by the Dakota County Jail.
