Auto thief wanted in Modesto after taking car with children inside
Modesto Police are trying to find a car thief who stole an SUV with two young children inside before ditching it at a nearby bar.
The children were found unharmed and reunited with their parents.
The incident occurred at 5:35 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Morris Avenue.
Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said the children’s parents left them inside their Acura MDX for a few minutes while they went inside their home.
The Acura and their children were gone when the parents returned.
Bear did not know why the parents left the children in the vehicle but Sacramento TV Station KCRA reported the parents were unloading groceries.
The station reported the children are 3 and 4 years old.
Bear said the keys were left in the vehicle but she didn’t know if it was running.
More than 20 peace officers, including Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department deputies, responded to the call.
Within 10 minutes, the Acura was located less than a half a mile away in the parking lot of the Tiki Lounge on McHenry Avenue. Both children were found unharmed inside.
Bear said officers searched the area with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department helicopter but did not locate the suspect.
She said officers are following up on leads and looking for surveillance cameras that might have captured the suspect.
Police did not have a description of the suspect on Monday afternoon.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 4:03 PM.
