Richland deputies seek man who stole car with 4-year-old inside but left him unharmed
Police are searching for an unidentified man after surveillance footage captured him stealing a car late last month outside a Columbia gas station with a 4-year-old boy inside.
The child has been found and is unharmed.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department shared images from the footage on Friday and requested the public’s help in identifying the suspect.
The incident took place a little over two weeks ago on July 21 at the BP gas station at 806 Broad River Road, according to the RCSD. Around 7 p.m., the owner of the car parked and went inside to buy something. He left the engine running and the doors unlocked.
Once inside the store, the man realized he needed his ID, he told authorities. When he went outside to get it from the car, it was gone.
An alert was sent out to Richland County law enforcement agencies notifying them of the stolen vehicle and the missing child. The child was discovered when dispatchers received a call that the 4-year-old was knocking on the door at an apartment complex about a mile away from the gas station.
Medical personnel were dispatched to check on the boy, who was not transported for treatment. The child told police that the man got into the car and drove off before stopping, taking him out and driving off again.
The car was found further down the road, parked.
Anyone who has information about the incident or about the person involved is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME SC (888-274-6372).
