Charges laid in vehicle theft; child inside unharmed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 30, 2023  2:00 pm

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service West Criminal Investigations Unit has charged a young person following the theft of a vehicle Friday evening in the 3000 block of Carling Avenue.

At approximately 6:30 pm, the owner of the vehicle left it idling in the parking lot of a restaurant as they went in to pick up their order. The owner left their 10-year-old child sleeping in the back seat at this time. A young person under the Youth Criminal Justice Act took the opportunity to steal the idling vehicle.  

When the young person noticed the sleeping child in the back, they stopped the vehicle nearby and let the child out of the vehicle, unharmed.

Given the extreme urgency of this 911 call, officers flooded the area and within minutes located the vehicle. The driver fled on foot, but with the quick response of our K9 Unit, the suspect was located and arrested. 

The young person, a 16-year-old from Gatineau, was charged with:

-          Theft of a Motor Vehicle

-          Dangerous Operation

-          Flight from Police

The young person remains in custody with another court appearance scheduled for today.

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