Police search for suspect after vehicle stolen with kids inside in south Minneapolis
A stolen vehicle with two children inside was recovered near E 24th Street and Chicago Avenue. The children were found unharmed. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis police are searching for a suspect after a vehicle was briefly stolen with two children inside Thursday evening in south Minneapolis, according to Minneapolis police spokesman Officer Garrett Parten. The children - a nine-month-old and a three-year-old - were found safe.
Officer Parten says at 4:45 p.m. police received a report that a car was stolen with two children inside in the 1100 block of 19th Street East. Police learned a father had left the vehicle running to go inside and pick up another child. While the father was gone, a suspect went into the car and drove off.
Five minutes later, the car was found about a half mile away near E 24th Street and Chicago Avenue. The children were inside unharmed, but the suspect was gone when officers arrived.
Police collected evidence from the vehicle. Investigators are looking to see if any surveillance video may have captured the incident. The case remains under investigation.
This incident marks the second vehicle theft and kidnapping in Minneapolis in less than a month. On New Year's Eve, a man stole a vehicle that had a boy inside. The child and vehicle were found about 45 minutes later. The child suffered minor injuries. In that case as well, the driver had left the vehicle running when it was stolen.