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They didn't suddenly discover anything. Like all profeesional law enforcement people they acted on a tip (as they should have). They then spent the better part of the day checking out the evidence. It was found that the evidence was absent and they let the men go.

However, during the course of the investigation someone told the media that the plates were stolen and they blew through the toll booth. The fact that the media put this stuff on the air doesn't make the investigators wrong for subsequently reporting the facts correctly.

It does make a case for not jumping to conclusions based on media reports. A case can also be made that if the subsequent facts fail to support your original conclusion, it might be time to reconsider your position.

A. the first car DID blow through the toll booth without paying. The second car paid for both, but the first car was already being followed.

B. The media reports ALWAYS referred to the plates as POSSIBLY stolen. The public records indicated the plates belonged to a different model automobile.
The plate transfer did not occur properly and it took time to verify the story of the men pulled over.

"during the course of the investigation someone told the media that the plates were stolen and they blew through the toll booth."

You didn't read my post very well. It was an LE spokesmen at a press briefing who said that the plates didn't match. It was also widely reported at the end of this whole thing that they were cited for running through the toll booth. Strange action if they didn't actually do it.