A teenage juvenile delinquent allegedly broke out of a Pennsylvania detention center and then allegedly hijacked a DoorDash driver’s car Wednesday night, CBS News reported.
After allegedly escaping confinement at the Adelphoi Detention Center, the 14-year-old allegedly took to the streets of the city of Latrobe and then allegedly took advantage of the fact the Dasher’s car was still running while the driver was making a food delivery and allegedly stole it, Latrobe Police Department (LPD) Chief Richard Bosco said, according to CBS News.
“The driver was making a delivery and feeling innocent enough he left the car door open and the engine running. And as he ran up the steps to make the delivery, a young man had escaped from a local juvenile detention home and seized the opportunity with the open door on the running car to make his escape,” Bosco said. (RELATED: Massachusetts DoorDash Driver Followed GPS Directions Into Body Of Water, Police Say)
As a result, a flurry of first responders from several departments were called to the scene to locate the vehicle and the alleged perpetrator.
Multiple police agencies worked together to track down a stolen vehicle out of Latrobe. https://t.co/IqNYXFP472
— KDKA (@KDKA) October 19, 2023
In time, the heavy police presence caught up to the teen and closed in on the car, per CBS News. The teen tried to escape on foot, only to eventually be apprehended, Bosco said.
Similar scenarios had played out in the days leading up to the arrest.
Including the DoorDash debacle, juveniles reportedly stole a total of four cars in the area within a week. (RELATED: As Juvenile Crime Skyrockets To Record Levels, States Seek To Crack Down)
Police said they used the GPS components of “OnStar” and “Bluelink” technologies that are typically embedded in new cars to track down the vehicles, CBS News noted.
In all four cases, the doors were unlocked in the cars, and in some instances, the keys were left inside the vehicle, Bosco said, according to CBS News.
Bosco noted the LPD is working in conjunction with the juvenile detention facility to prevent this trend from happening, per CBS News.