2-Year-Old Inside Stolen Car Found Safe, Police Search For Thief
DENVER (CBS4) - Police are still searching for the thief who stole a car with a 2-year-old boy inside over the weekend.
Denver police say they do not have a description of the suspect to release to the public. The child was found safe in the car nearly two hours later before an amber alert was able to be issued. CBS4 has learned that the amber alert was minutes away from being sent at the time.
The process to issue an amber alert can take some time to accomplish, according to law enforcement. In this case, 911 was called around 2:20 p.m. with the report of the stolen car. The child was found at 3:57 p.m.
This happened Sunday afternoon when the vehicle was taken from West 44th Avenue and Decatur Street. Denver has a no puffing law so that it isn't easy for a thief to walk by and steal an idling car while the driver walks away for a moment. That's what happened in this case, except that unattended car had a precious package.
Police learned that the 2-year-old became vulnerable after someone left him inside a Subaru with the car running.
Police believe the car thief likely realized sometime after taking the car that the boy was on board, then ditched it in an alley little more than a mile away.
"It was okay to leave our doors open, it was okay to live life, normally, because we all trusted everybody. We don't do it anymore," said neighbor Rose Delgado.
Police say someone found the boy in the car in an alley off West 39th Avenue and Quivas Street. The boy was briefly examined by a paramedic and appeared to be okay.
According to broadcastify records, an officer on the scene asked dispatch at approximately 2:30 p.m. for the amber alert to be issued.
He said the following:
16 Adam, are you able to do that amber alert get those on the signs or freeways with all that info?
The dispatcher responded with saying they couldn't initiate the amber alert:
I can't do the amber alert without that process being done by detectives but I am getting a metro out right away.
Denver police said the amber alert process has to start with a detective. The detective needs to speak with the reporting party of the crime before the call is made to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. CBI says an amber alert requires four things:
1. The child has to be 17 years old or younger, and abducted.
2. There's an immediate threat to the child's safety, such as bodily harm or death.
3. They need specific car details including a license plate number.
4. A law enforcement agency has to initiate the call.
CBI says Denver police called them sometime in the 3 p.m. hour. By the time a detective assessed the situation and relayed the info to the CBI, the child was found safe -- almost 90 minutes later.
The CBI says they were ready to hit the send button on the alert when they were notified that the child was found.
The parents are not facing charges in the case, but it's possible that may change as the investigation continues.
Jennifer Brice is a reporter with CBS4 focusing on crime and courts. Follow her on Facebook or on Twitter @CBS4Jenn.
