A stepfather was picking up pizza at Forest Lawn’s Little Caesars late Friday afternoon when he found both his truck, with his 14-year-old boy inside, suddenly gone.
Police said a man stole the truck shortly before 5 p.m., unaware that the teen was sleeping in the back seat.
“The child woke up after the offender began driving the vehicle and the offender directed him to get out,” Sgt. Geoff Hoover said. “The child, for whatever reason, didn’t want to get out immediately – said ‘no’ – at which time the offender stopped the car, yarded the child out and carried on his way.”
The teen walked to a nearby home, asking for help.
“He was in shock,” said the homeowner, who didn’t want to be identified. “He was shaking and very flush in the face, very apprehensive about everything. He said he didn’t know where he was at one point so he was very scared.”
The boy asked to use a cellphone to call his mom and told the homeowners his truck had been stolen, but little else.
Meanwhile, around Pensdale Road and 8 Avenue S.E., police surrounded the stolen vehicle.
Investigators said the thief then jumped from the stolen truck, while it was moving, and attempted to run from officers. One police vehicle was hit by the truck which continued into an alleyway.
After about a half hour, the boy was reunited with his parents, unharmed.
“I think they’re all pretty relieved. It had a good turnout with nobody getting hurt so it had a pretty good resolution to the whole thing,” Hoover said.
With files from Janet Lore