ORLANDO, Fla. -- Eyewitness News found out thieves had stolen nearly 1,000 cars in Orlando in 2009. But now, police are using new technology to catch them.

New high-tech cameras are finding stolen cars and saving police time and money.

Mo Jovanich's just paid off his Honda Prelude and spent thousands fixing it up, only to have it stolen from his Orlando apartment complex.

"I love it. I just spent so much time on it and money," he said.

To get to work, he bought a $600 Suzuki with 170,000 miles and no air conditioner.

"Hopefully, they are going to find my car," Jovanich said.

The chances are much better because Orlando police now use high-tech cameras to scan tags and catch car thieves

Mounted on an undercover car, three cameras read nearly every tag. The driver passes and a computer instantly matches them against a nationwide database of stolen cars.

"We've been out here 11 minutes and its captured 134 plates," said Michael Rudd of the Orlando Police Department.

Detective Luke Harrington and Sergeant Michael Rudd work as a team driving through areas known for car thefts like Kirkman Road and SR-436.

The cameras allow two officers to scan an entire parking lot of cars in a matter of minutes. An alarm sounds, if the car is stolen.

"First time you stop a car, it's exhilarating. The technology has done work for you," Rudd said.

In the last few months, the new system helped police recover nine stolen cars worth $130,000.

The technology can also help find wanted suspects. Officers enter their tag numbers into the system and then let the cameras do the work while they drive.

"It would potentially close the case if we could locate the vehicle in those critical hours," Rudd said.

They've haven't caught any yet, but other officers are still being trained on how to use the system.

The cameras read 3,000 plates per hour and catch cars going in both directions. Two cameras track cars on the side and the front and another one tracks cars going in the opposite direction.

Mo is not giving up on his stolen car.

"I still have insurance on it, hoping they are going to find it," he said.

The police department's $40,000 system was purchased with seized drug money and a donation from Allstate insurance

Orange and Seminole County deputies recently started using a similar system.