“Technology like this doesn’t replace good police work — it speeds it up,” said Lebanon Police Chief Jerry Harrison.
A six-week-old baby girl was recovered unharmed Tuesday morning after being abducted from a business in Lebanon, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The incident began on the morning of Nov. 10 in the 600 block of West Route 66. Local authorities were alerted that a family member from out of town was the last person seen with the infant, but neither the child nor the relative could be located shortly after the report.
Speed became the primary factor in the recovery. While the Lebanon Police Department issued an alert about the missing infant at 11:55 a.m., the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an AMBER Alert just three minutes later.
Officers used the city’s automated license plate reader system to identify the direction of travel. KRCGTV reported that troopers with MSHP Troop F reviewed footage from Flock license plate-reading cameras and identified a white 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis.
The vehicle was spotted twice during the pursuit, once in Camden County and again in Cole County along U.S. 54. Just 17 minutes after the AMBER Alert request was issued, a trooper located the vehicle traveling east on U.S. 54 near Route J in Callaway County, KRCGTV reported.
A trooper spotted the vehicle west of Fulton and initiated a traffic stop. The infant was found safe and has since been reunited with her mother.
The driver of the vehicle and a passenger were both taken into custody during the stop. According to KRCGTV, the suspects are an 18-year-old male and a 17-year-old female.
Lebanon Police Chief Jerry Harrison said local and state agencies must coordinate their response. “This is exactly the kind of fast teamwork and coordination with our partners at the Missouri State Highway Patrol that this department trains for,” Harrison said.
“Our officers did their jobs well today, and so did the tools we’ve given them to do it,” Harrison added.
Related reading
No. 9 Tennessee Faces Texas A&M in Crucial SEC Road Matchup
No. 9 Tennessee faces a critical road test against Texas A&M this Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern Time....
Oregon Progressives Gain Power to Push Wealth Tax and Policy Shifts
Oregon progressives roughly doubled their presence in the House and Senate during last week's election as the Democratic...
Why Beating Michigan Is the Only Nonnegotiable Left for Ohio State
In a column for Land-Grant Holy Land, a contributor argues that while Ohio State has three games remaining...
Proposed SNAP Rule Changes Could Impact Nevada Families and Retailers
Federal regulators are moving to tighten how families qualify for food assistance, a decision that could strip nutrition...