A 4-year-old San Leandro boy is in safe hands after the car he was sitting in was stolen by a man, police said.
The ordeal began around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning when the boy's mother left the youngster in the car, which was parked in the woman's driveway, while it warmed up. A man approached the vehicle, hopped inside and started to drive away.
The mother tried desperately to stop the man by standing in front of the stolen car, but she failed. The man struck her with the vehicle before speeding away.
Fortunately for the mother, San Leandro police detectives found the car 15 minutes later abandoned in Oakland. The young boy was sitting inside safe and sound.
Police later combed through surveillance footage and were able to locate the suspect hunkered down inside of a home. He was arrested peacefully and taken into custody.
The suspect is being detained on suspicion of automobile theft, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.
