Akron police use Flock cameras to catch teens suspected in violent Barberton carjacking

Akron police used the city's new Flock camera tracking technology on Tuesday to locate, chase and ultimately arrest teens suspected in a violent carjacking that started in Barberton and ended in Portage County near Kent State University.

The incident started Tuesday night when Barberton police issued an alert reporting a vehicle had been stolen at gunpoint and the driver assaulted.

New cameras:Akron starts installing Flock license plate cameras in fight against crime

Akron police said they received Flock camera alerts after 6:30 p.m. that the stolen car, a Dodge Stratus, was in Akron. The car refused to stop for police near East and Battles Avenue, which led to a pursuit, Akron police said.

The Flock system uses cameras, which are being installed in Akron, to read license plates and then taps into a national database to alert police if a vehicle is stolen or wanted by law enforcement.

The Stratus went through city streets and then onto Interstate 76 East, getting off at the state Route 44 exit, Akron police said.

Police from other departments joined the pursuit as it went through side streets in Portage County, Akron police said.

Officers used spike strips to disable the Stratus in the Summit Road and Hodgeman Lane area near Kent State University, police said. Tires on two Akron cruisers were also damaged by the spike strips, police said.

Woman found:Akron police use Flock license plate readers to find missing woman

Officers arrested two teens, ages 16 and 17. A third suspect escaped arrest Tuesday night, police said.

The two teens were taken to the county juvenile detention facility.

Akron police said one of its officers was bitten on the arm by a K-9 officer that was being used to help with the arrests and was taken to a hospital to be treated.

Barberton police said the man whose car was stolen and who was assaulted at gunpoint was treated at the scene of the initial incident. No gunshots were fired, police said. The investigation is in early stages and no additional information was available, Barberton police said.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron police use Flock cameras to find teens wanted in carjacking