6-year-old boy found safe after car stolen with him still inside
CHICAGO (CBS)-- A car was stolen with a child inside in the Englewood neighborhood Thursday morning.
Chicago police said a 52-year-old man left his Toyota Camry running with a 6-year-old boy inside at a gas station in the 6600 block of South Wentworth Avenue, just before 8 a.m.
That's when police said three men entered the vehicle and drove off, before crashing into a fence in the 6700 block of South Perry Avenue. The car thieves ran off after the crash.
It's not clear if the suspect knew there was a child in the backseat of the Camry.
The grandfather, Keith Cowan, described the moment he noticed the carjacking.
"The gentleman behind the counter was like, 'Be careful. Those young guys, they rob people and steal cars,'" Cowan said. "No sooner did he say that, that I turned around and went outside and my car was gone and I panicked."
Cowan said he usually would take his grandchild inside with him to grab some lunch. He took the key fob with him, thinking the car wouldn't drive without it.
CBS 2's Sabrina Franza obtained video of the whole situation unfolding.
Cameras caught the snow knocked off one homeowners fence when the stolen car crashed into it. Whoever was driving jumped out while the car was still running and made a run for it.
Soon after, Chicago police showed up. They found the airbags deployed and the 6-year-old safe inside the car. His grandfather rushed to the scene.
Brenda, a the homeowner who asked us not to use her last name, had surveillance cameras caught the snow thrown from the fence on impact.
"I was like, 'Oh I live here,' and (the grandfather) was like 'Oh, my grandson's fine,'" she said. "I thought the grandson was the one driving."
The boy is home with his mom and is doing OK.
"Thank God that he's safe and all right," Cowan said.
The car was still in the fence on South Perry late Thursday afternoon.
No arrests have been made. Area 1 detectives were investigating. Police are looking for the driver and two other suspects they believe are connected to the crash.