License plate reader technology helps recover abducted child

A child abducted in East Texas was recovered safely in Louisiana on Sunday morning, August 16, following a multi-agency search. Law enforcement officials utilized Flock and Vigilant license plate reader cameras to track the suspect's vehicle across state lines.

The Sabine County Sheriff's Office reported that the technology allowed investigators to identify and follow the vehicle quickly, rather than relying solely on eyewitness accounts. The vehicle was intercepted near the Mississippi state line in Louisiana, where officers took a suspect into custody.

Roger Smith Jr., a 60-year-old man from Pineland, Texas, was arrested after Sabine County Sheriff George Griffith obtained an arrest warrant. The investigation involved several agencies, including the Sabine County Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana State Police.