The car was not registered in the National Crime Information Center, an electronic clearinghouse of crime data.

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Valle is also charged with accessing the National Crime Information Center database illegally.

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According to the FBI's National Crime Information Center, the number of reported laptop thefts increased almost 48% over the last two years, from 73, 700 to almost 109, 000.

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The NICS system is linked to several databases managed by the FBI, including the National Crime Information Center, and runs an individual's name through federal and state criminal records.

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In violation of state and federal law, Rasool checked the plates with the Virginia Criminal Information Network and the National Crime Information Center databases, and called his friend back to let him know that the cars were not registered to individuals.

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On May 31, Mr. Valle allegedly accessed the federal National Crime Information Center database without authorization to obtain information about a woman whom authorities say they matched to a file on Mr. Valle's computer containing the names and information of more than 100 women.

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