Police are warning parents after they arrested a suspect Monday in connection with stealing a car with a 2-year-old inside of it.
The car has been recovered and the child was safely reunited with their family.
“It’s incredibly unnerving and we’re extremely thankful that in this particular incident, the child wasn’t harmed,” said Peggy Chou with the San Pablo Police Department.
He said officers jumped into action quickly, responding to reports of a stolen car with a child inside of it.
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The crime happened along California Avenue around 1:30 p.m. with surveillance video showing the suspect getting into the drivers seat before taking off.
The car belongs to the mother of the 2-year-old who told NBC Bay Area that she left the driver's door open and car running because she was quickly dropping off something at her mom’s house.
Thankfully, police located the stolen car within 20 minutes in the city of Richmond with the 2 year old inside, unharmed, and reunited the child with their family.
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“It’s just really a reminder to always be aware of your surroundings,” said Chou.
The suspect, 35-year-old Joy Taueetia, stole the victim’s cell phone, which helped police locate her in the city of Oakland. Police say she was driving a stolen car out of Hayward at the time of her arrest.
She’s now booked at a Contra Costa County jail, facing vehicle theft and kidnapping charges.
“This really was a collective effort between our officers, our dispatchers and also our neighboring agencies,” said Chou.
This is still an active investigation and police are not ruling out the possibility of more suspects. Anyone with information to help with the case is asked to contact the San Pablo Police Department.
