Felony charge for man with toll-evading license plate device

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a man who they say went through great lengths to avoid paying tolls.

Troopers say he had a device installed on his car that would shield his license plate-- and he might have gotten away with it if a trooper hadn't been driving right behind him.

With a simple push of a button on a remote control, a black curtain scrolls down to obscure the Honda's license plate.  It becomes completely invisible to anyone behind the car and invisible to the camera which snaps an image when a toll isn't paid.

Troopers say they were right behind 27 year old Joshua Concepcion-West when he allegedly dropped the curtain over his tag right at the toll plaza.  When he cleared the toll booth, the curtain went back up and the plate was exposed again.

Troopers immediately pulled him over.  They don't know how many times he has used the device.

Troopers say there are various items available online to either obscure tags, hide them, make them look distorted on the camera shots.

Concepcion-West is now charged with petit theft and cheating or gross fraud.  Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol points out that, "now he is charged with a felony, for failure to pay a dollar and 25 cent toll."

Cox Media Group