License plate reader leads Burlington police to stolen car, drug charges

An automated license plate reader sent Burlington police to a Holiday Inn Express parking lot on Longpine Road, where a stolen Kentucky-registered vehicle led to cocaine charges against two Greensboro women.

Police responded at about 12:39 p.m. on July 7 after the department’s system flagged the vehicle as stolen. When officers arrived at 2701 Longpine Road, they found the occupied car in the front parking lot of the hotel and began investigating.

The driver was identified as Gina Upton, 40, of Greensboro, and the passenger as Olivia Lunceford, 27, of Greensboro. The search of the vehicle turned up illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Upton was charged with felony possession of cocaine, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and trafficking cocaine. Lunceford was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Both women were taken to Alamance County Jail and held without bond because of a violation of the Pretrial Integrity Act.

The hotel address is Holiday Inn Express Burlington, 2701 Longpine Road, Burlington, North Carolina 27215.

North Carolina law requires any state or local agency using an automatic license plate reader system to adopt a written policy before the system is operational. That policy must cover the databases used, how long data is kept, how information is shared with other agencies and how operators are trained.

The Burlington Police Department is nationally accredited and includes more than 100 sworn officers and 50 professional staff members. The city also maintains a Community Police Advisory Team that advises on policy enhancements and equitable practices.