Technology helping to solve crime: GPS in cell phones

The Associated Press has this:

BOSTON — An Athol, Mass., woman who allegedly kidnapped her 9-year-old granddaughter was tracked a motel in Virginia, according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

An Athol police officer and a deputy chief in the town's fire department located Rose M. Maltais, 52, and called Virginia State Police. She was arrested at the Budget Inn in Natural Bridge, Va., at about 4:15 p.m Tuesday.

Maltais, and her granddaughter, Natalie, had been missing since Saturday when Maltais picked up her grandchild for a weekend visit.

Officials had the girl's cell phone number, which they used to track her and Maltais.

The cell phone provider gave police GPS coordinates every time the phone was activated. Officials used that information along with Google's street view application to find the name of the hotel where they were staying.

Maltais was being held in Virginia pending rendition to Massachusetts. The child will be returned to her legal guardians, the newspaper reported.