Man Who Allegedly Stole Running Car With 2-Year-Old Inside In Newark Arrested
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police in New Jersey arrested a man they say stole a car that had been left unattended and running with a 2-year-old child sleeping inside.
On Monday, Newark police officers were called for a report of a carjacking at 146 Ferry St.
Search On For Man Who Stole Car Left Running With 2-Year-Old Inside In Newark
Police said a 24-year-old woman from Union reported she had parked her car with her 2-year-old daughter sleeping inside to unload groceries at a relative's house, and when she came back from a trip inside, her car was gone.
Officers found her car within minutes with the toddler still inside, less than 400 feet away on Adams Street, police said. The child, who appeared to be unharmed, was taken to University Hospital to be checked out, police said.
Detectives for Newark's Major Crimes Unit received a tip from a concerned citizen that Sanders Martin Gomes, 40, was getting a haircut at a barbershop located at Broad and South Streets.
Gomes -- who was already a suspect in the carjacking and was also wanted on separate outstanding warrants -- was arrested without incident.
He's charged with carjacking and endangering the welfare of a child. Gomes is also charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, as police say he was found in possession of six glassine envelopes of heroin, a vial of crack cocaine, and a small container of cocaine when he was arrested.
"When our residents assist us by providing tips that identify suspects and offer information about their whereabouts, we can be more effective in quickly arrestin them and removing them from our streets," Newark Director of Public Safety Anthony F. Ambrose said in a statement Sunday.