A terrifying overnight car theft on Chicago’s Far South Side ended in relief early Wednesday when a 1-year-old boy was found safe in an abandoned vehicle in Woodlawn. The toddler was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for observation, and detectives are now sorting out how he wound up left alone in the stolen car.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a 36-year-old man was standing near his vehicle about 2:10 a.m. in the 9100 block of South Urban Avenue in Roseland when someone slipped behind the wheel and took off, with the child still strapped inside. Officers later located the car in the 6200 block of South Eberhart Avenue in Woodlawn, where it had been abandoned, and reunited the boy with his caregivers while detectives continued their probe.
Car thefts remain a local problem
Motor-vehicle theft and carjacking remain stubborn problems on the South Side, and neighborhood-level records show repeated reports of stolen vehicles in areas including Woodlawn. City data tracking motor-vehicle theft in Woodlawn and other community areas is available on the Chicago Data Portal, which is updated regularly.
State strategy targets carjackings and theft
The Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Council’s 2023–2026 strategy calls for multi-jurisdictional task forces, tougher prosecutions and public-awareness campaigns as key tools to curb carjackings and recover stolen vehicles. The plan recommends funding targeted enforcement, partnerships with insurers and manufacturers, and outreach to help owners reduce risk. Those priorities are spelled out in detail in a document from the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Council.
The child was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for observation and appeared unharmed, authorities said. Police did not immediately release additional details about suspects or arrests, per the Chicago Sun-Times.
