An 11-month-old child was found unharmed early Thursday after a vehicle was stolen outside a Hoquiam convenience store with the infant still inside, according to the Hoquiam Police Department.
Police said officers were dispatched around 1:25 a.m. Jan. 29 to the 200 block of Lincoln Street for a reported vehicle theft involving a child.
A 33-year-old Ocean Shores woman told officers she had stopped at Circle K to use the restroom and left her vehicle running with her 11-month-old child secured in a car seat and sleeping.
When she returned, the vehicle was gone.
Officers reviewed surveillance video and quickly shared a suspect description with nearby law enforcement agencies, police said.
About 17 minutes later, at approximately 1:42 a.m., Aberdeen Police Officer Twibell located the stolen vehicle parked in the 2400 block of Pacific Avenue.
Police said the child was still secured in the car seat, asleep and unharmed.
The suspect was not at the scene.
A wallet left inside the vehicle identified a 40-year-old man with a Puyallup address as the suspect, police said.
A K-9 unit was deployed to track him, but the search was unsuccessful because of the time that had passed and weather conditions.
Later that morning, at about 4:17 a.m., Lt. Salstrom was on his way home when he returned to check on the vehicle, believing the suspect who fled with the keys might come back, police said.
While in the 500 block of 25th Street, Salstrom saw a man matching the suspect description walking toward the vehicle’s location.
The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Police said the suspect will be transported to the Grays Harbor County Jail and booked on charges of first-degree kidnapping and motor vehicle theft.
“We are thankful this incident ended with a positive outcome and that the child was safely recovered without injury.”
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