Chile! Roommates, it might be time to start locking up your car keys when the kids are around! An 8-year-old Ohio girl gagged local police this week after she allegedly took a ride to Target in her family’s SUV.
RELATED: Police arrest 8-year-old boy who allegedly stole car at gunpoint before leading officers on wild chase
See how police located the 8-year-old child
On Sunday (September 15), a family reported their eight-year-old son missing to the Bedford Police Department, by TODAY.com. A service report stated that the 911 call came in shortly before 9 a.m. According to reports, it had been two hours since the family last saw the unidentified girl.
During the search, responding officers obtained footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera. The surveillance footage showed the child getting into the family’s 2020 Nissan Rogue alone and leaving around 7 a.m. According to CNN, she was seen driving on a nearby road, but Bedford police were unable to immediately locate her.
Eventually, officers with the Bainbridge Police Department found the missing SUV in a Target parking lot. The store was about 25 minutes away, which is between 11 and 13 miles southwest of the child’s home, according to the service report.
See what happened inside Target after police found the girl
When officers entered the Target, they found the Ohio girl inside. Her family later came to pick her up and her car. She reportedly told police that she hit a mailbox on her 25-minute drive. Given her age, it doesn’t appear that she will face charges at this time.
On Facebook, the Bedford Police Department dismissed the entire incident as a hoax and joked about the little sister drinking a frappuccino.
“Well, I finally found a woman who is in a bigger rush to shop at Target than my wife,” the Bedford PD post stated. “More rushing for 8 years. That’s right, an 8-year-old took her mommy’s car this morning and drove to Target in Bainbridge to shop. Luckily, she made it and was immediately located by Bainbridge Police. She is now home safe. Not sure what she bought, or if she was able to use her Target app to save 5%. We let her finish her Frappuccino. We are not mean.”
Meanwhile, Target employees reportedly said local channel WEWS-TV that the child had more than $400 when he came in, shopped, and then left. Neither Bedford nor Bainbridge PD have publicly confirmed these details.
Speaking of minors taking amusement rides, in May 2023, an unidentified 10-year-old boy stole a 2017 Buick Encore in an attempt to travel from Buena Vista to Detroit, Michigan. Police unsuccessfully tried to pull him over on 1-75. The car finally stopped after the child hit a guardrail in a minor accident.
RELATED: 10-Year-Old Boy Steals SUV for Interstate Trip (VIDEO)
What do you think, roommates?
