Toddler Abducted During Car Theft: Sheriff

PUYALLUP, WA — A car theft in South Hill early Wednesday nearly turned into a kidnapping before the apparent thief realized he'd stolen a car occupied by a 3-year-old child. The child has since been reunited with its family.

Pierce County Sheriff's officials said a man called 911 around 7 a.m. to report the theft of his silver Mazda from the 1500-block of 93rd Avenue East and that his child was inside the car when it was stolen.

At nearly the same moment, 911 dispatchers took a call from another person who reported a silver Mazda had just crashed at a Walgreens along South Meridian, about a half-mile away, and that a child was left inside the car.

Sheriff's officials reportedly believe the car thief, not intending to also be a kidnapper, bailed after realizing there was a child in the car.

"Mom was loading up the kids in the car, puts the 3-year-old in the vehicle, goes back to get the other child, comes out and the vehicle is gone," PCSD Det. Sgt. Gary Sanders told KOMO News staff. "(The thief) probably went, 'Oh, I'm OK with stealing a car, but I'm not OK with kidnapping.'"

The thief, who was seen running from the car after the crash, is described as a black man wearing a beanie. A K9 search of the area was unsuccessful.

If caught, the thief will likely face kidnapping charges, officials said.

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