Man in Eastchester steals car with child inside, then flees in waiting vehicle

NEW YORK - The Eastchester Police Department is looking for the man they said stole a running vehicle with a child left inside, and then fled in a waiting vehicle.

Police received a 911 call Thursday around 8:10 a.m. reporting a stolen vehicle while parked in the Green Knolls section of town.

According to police, the vehicle was left running with the key, along with the child, inside. The owner was in the vicinity and was bringing another child to the bus stop.

The owner said he saw the man enter his vehicle, and tried to stop him, before he drove away to Scarsdale Avenue at Harney Road, where he stopped and removed the child from the vehicle, police said.

Witnesses said the suspect tried to reenter the vehicle, but once he was seen, fled in another waiting vehicle toward the Bronx River Parkway.

The stolen vehicle was recovered, and the child was found unharmed and reunited with their parents.

The suspect is described as a Black male, around 20, 6'0" tall, with a thin build and dreadlocks. 

The suspect's vehicle wanted in connection is a White Audi SUV occupied by four Black men and a black woman in their late teens or early 20s.

"We are fortunate that no one was harmed in this incident. Unfortunately, over the past two years we have seen a significant increase in the number of stolen automobiles along with larcenies from vehicles," the police department said in a Facebook post. "As always, we remind residents to remain vigilant of their surroundings, never leave their vehicle running unoccupied, never leave their key inside the vehicle, and ensure to lock their vehicles especially overnight."

Anyone with information is urged to call Eastchester police’s detective division at 914-961-3464.