Mpls. police searching for person who stole car with sleeping toddler inside
Minneapolis police are looking for the person who stole a car from a gas station Wednesday evening with a sleeping toddler inside.
Officers say they found the car — with the little boy still inside — about 25 minutes after it was stolen in north Minneapolis.
Police Cmdr. Bruce Folkens says Buckner and his friend followed the stolen car for a short time and called 911. Folkens says officers found the car a mile and a half away.
"The child was sleeping when the father got out of the car," Folkens said. "Thank God when the cops found the car, he was still sleeping, nestled into his car seat. So for him, it was just a nice night's sleep."
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Folkens says Buckner had left his cell phone in the car, and officers found the vehicle with the help of phone tracking technology.
"We would have found that vehicle probably quickly — not as quickly if they hadn't used the technology," Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said. "But all resources were diverted to that, including officers from other precincts."
Police do not have a description of the suspect.
If caught, Folkens said, the suspect could face both auto theft and kidnapping charges.