Northeast Philly Minivan Stolen With Baby Inside, Crash Suspect Nabbed After Foot Chase
A quick stop for water ice in Northeast Philadelphia turned into a nightmare scenario Thursday night when a thief jumped into a running minivan with a 2-month-old girl inside, according to police. The baby was later found safe in her car seat after the stolen red Toyota minivan slammed into multiple vehicles during a police chase.
Officers say the driver bailed out and tried to disappear into nearby woods, but did not get far. The 42-year-old suspect was captured, and the infant was reunited with her father.
What Police Say Happened
Officers were dispatched just after 8 p.m. on a 911 call reporting a stolen vehicle with a baby inside, Chief Inspector Scott Small told FOX 29 Philadelphia. The child’s father told investigators he had left his red Toyota minivan running outside Rita’s Water Ice on the 8600 block of Frankford Avenue when someone jumped in and drove off with the infant still strapped into her car seat.
Police picked up the vehicle and followed it along surface streets. According to FOX 29 Philadelphia, the minivan struck a civilian car and a police cruiser at Grant Avenue and Academy Road, then hit another car at Red Lion Road and Roosevelt Boulevard.
After the final crash, investigators say the driver jumped out and ran into nearby woods before Seventh District officers caught up with him and took him into custody. The baby was found in the car, still in her seat.
“Luckily she was not injured and she has been reunited with her father,” Inspector Small said.
Busy Boulevard, Chaotic Chase
Theft of the minivan started outside the Rita’s on Frankford Avenue and spilled onto Roosevelt Boulevard, one of the city’s busiest corridors. As police gave chase, the minivan crashed into multiple vehicles before coming to a stop near the Boulevard and Red Lion Road.
Officers arrested the 42-year-old suspect in a wooded area close by after a brief foot chase. No injuries to the child were reported. Police did not immediately say whether anyone in the other vehicles was hurt.
Child-Safety Reminder
The case underscores a message that law enforcement and child-safety advocates repeat constantly: do not leave kids alone in a running vehicle, even for what feels like a quick errand.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children should never be left unattended in or around vehicles and recommends keeping infants in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible. Those guidelines are meant to reduce the risk of heat-related dangers and protect young children in the event of a crash.
What Police Have Not Said Yet
Police have not publicly released the suspect’s name or said what charges he may be facing, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. Investigators are still reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements to piece together the exact sequence of events.
Authorities noted that the outcome, while harrowing, could have been far worse. They used the incident to repeat a long-standing warning to drivers in every corner of the city: never leave children unattended in a running vehicle, even for a minute.
