Manchester police have released frightening 911 calls from a mother and a witness after a thief stole an SUV with a 1-year-old child still inside on Monday.
The 2022 Lexus RX 350 was stolen from the parking lot at Saint Bridget School on Main Street.
The child was located on Summit Street a short time later unharmed and reunited with his mother. Police believe the suspect removed the child in the car seat and left him there, police said.
The frantic mother called 911 for help when she realized her child and car were missing.
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She explained to the dispatcher that her baby was sleeping in the seat and it was raining, so she left the child in the car while she picked up her other child.
In another call made at the same time, a witness said that no one saw anyone acting suspiciously until the car was taken and driven out of the parking lot, taking a right and heading south down Main Street.
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"Literally it was a, a minute," the witness said.
The vehicle was spotted on Interstate 84 East in East Hartford and was found unoccupied on Union Street in Manchester around 3 p.m.
Police released surveillance video of the theft of the Lexus. They are still searching for a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 860-645-5500.
