Harris County authorities say police scanner audio helped recover a stolen SUV with children inside in a kidnapping incident. (Photo by Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag
Public access to Harris County law enforcement radio traffic is being credited with helping officers locate an SUV stolen with three young children inside early Monday, renewing debate over whether police communications should remain open or move to full encryption.
The discussion—noted by Montgomery County Police Reporter— intensified after the dramatic search near Humble, where a mother reported shortly after 1 a.m. that her Chevrolet Equinox had been stolen from a gas station on Aldine Mail Route while her three daughters, ages 1, 3 and 10, were still inside.
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According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the mother briefly went inside the convenience store to buy cookies for her 1-year-old daughter when a man, identified as 22-year-old Xavion Starks, jumped into the running SUV and drove away.
Arrest update to incident in the 700 block of Aldine Mail Rt:
Xavion Starks (12/16/2003) was arrested and charged with Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle, plus two counts of Aggravated Kidnapping. Starks has been booked in the Harris County Jail. https://t.co/vydZPqYawr pic.twitter.com/Y4fGrfN2vw
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) July 6, 2026
The eldest daughter was able to escape the vehicle shortly after taking off, while the suspect continued driving with the other two children on I-69 North.
Deputies from multiple agencies responded immediately, initially using a cell phone left inside to track the vehicle’s live location. That lead ended when the suspect reportedly threw the phone from the SUV.
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Authorities then broadcast an alert over the Harris County radio system, notifying nearby witnesses monitoring the dispatch traffic through commercial police scanners or online radio feeds.
Handheld police scanner like this model allows users to monitor publicly available law enforcement and emergency radio traffic in areas where communications are not encrypted. Photo: Universal Radio Inc.
Universal Radio Inc.
Unlike many neighboring agencies, Harris County’s primary law enforcement radio traffic remains unencrypted, allowing members of the public to monitor police dispatches in real time through the Texas Wide Area Radio Network.
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A tow truck driver and another citizen who were monitoring the radio traffic reportedly spotted the stolen SUV and relayed its location to dispatch, helping officers track the vehicle. Humble police officers later located the SUV, conducted a traffic stop and took the suspect into custody.
Police scanners are notably used by journalists, emergency responders and tow truck drivers to monitor local activity. However, in recent years, many agencies across the state have moved to fully encrypted communication systems, citing privacy and public safety concerns.
“Unlike Montgomery, Walker, Grimes and several other counties, Harris County radio traffic is not encrypted, meaning anyone with a scanner can hear transmissions in real time. That transparency paid off,” the Montgomery County Police Reporter wrote in response to this case.
Supporters of open radio systems have argued that public access promotes transparency and can occasionally provide investigators with additional eyes and ears during emergencies.
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“There is a balance that must be struck for accountability purposes,” wrote the Texas Association of Broadcasters in a report on the issue. “The public’s inability to monitor radio communications in real time, in most cases, negates the ability to monitor how county and city resources funded by taxpayers are being utilized.”
Meanwhile, the Texas Municipal Police Association has come out in defense of the move towards encryption in recent months, posting comments like “journalism does not trump officer safety” on their social media channels.
“Encryption is a national law enforcement standard. It prevents ambushes, criminal evasion, and chaos — not accountability. Broadcasting police movements in real time endangers officers and the public. Period.”
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No injuries were reported amongst the children and the Harris County District Attorney’s office plans to review the case for potential kidnapping charges.