How Good Samaritans From OC Saved Boy From Tuesday's Amber Alert

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — When Yenny Lu and Reagan Dunn got an amber alert on their phones Tuesday night, they didn't hesitate to go looking for the kidnapped 4-year-old boy.

The toddler Justin Chan was reported missing after a homeless man stole a car the boy was sitting in, according to the Long Beach Police Department. His father had left the engine running with Justin strapped inside while he stepped away.

It didn't take long for the two young women from Orange County to come to the boy's rescue.

"We got an Amber Alert on our phone and we decided to start looking," one of the women, Reagan Dunn, told ABC7. "We started driving around, it was 10 minutes. Our route ended, and we decided to keep looking."

Dunn said her friend was driving, "and I glanced over. I was like, wait I just saw a gray Honda Accord, and I saw 8XP, which was the license plate."

The Huntington Beach resident said her friend turned around and parked, and Dunn called 911.

"We ran across the street and the license plate matched up," she said.

Just under three hours after the toddler Justin Chan, was reported missing, the young women called 911 to tell police they believed they found him near The Pike Outlets shopping mall in Long Beach

Justin was found at about 8:10 p.m. unharmed and was reunited with his parents. He had been reported kidnapped in his parent's car in Long Beach near Linden Avenue and 1st Street at about 5:46 p.m. The CHP issued an Amber Alert, prompting law enforcement throughout the area to
be on the lookout for the gray 2021 Honda Accord.

See Related: Amber Alert: Kidnapped 4-Year-Old Boy Found Safe: Reports

"The vehicle was located by two Good Samaritans who found the car and immediately called 9-1-1. We would like to thank them for this act of heroism in finding this young boy," the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement.

After the vehicle was located, police were able to find security footage and used the video to pinpoint the suspect's direction of travel after he abandoned the car at the outlet mall.

Police successfully located the suspect near Pine Avenue and Shoreline Drive and took him into custody. The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Timothy Wood, who was experiencing homelessness according to LBPD.

Wood was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, child endangerment and vehicle theft and his bail was set at $100,000. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

City News Service contributed to this report.