AKRON, OH — A collaborative effort by Akron Police and neighboring law enforcement agencies led to the swift recovery of a 2-year-old abducted child on Friday afternoon. The child, abducted from Wayne County, was found unharmed in Akron, thanks to the effective use of advanced surveillance technology.
The incident began when a suspect, identified as 54-year-old Larry Spence, stole a pickup truck from outside a Dollar General in Marshallville. The toddler, left sleeping in the vehicle’s back seat, was inadvertently kidnapped. An Amber Alert was promptly issued, spurring immediate action from Akron Police.
Utilizing the newly acquired Flock camera license plate reader (LPR) system, officers received critical alerts that guided them to the child and Spence within minutes. The successful rescue operation culminated around 3:30 p.m., roughly 20 minutes after the initial alerts. The toddler was safely reunited with his family following the ordeal.