INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 12-year-old was detained Sunday after deputies said he stole a car on the side of the road with the keys still inside.
Indian River County deputies arrested the juvenile on charges of grand theft auto and fleeing and eluding. It was unclear if the youth was taken to the St. Lucie Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
Deputies responded to reports of a stolen vehicle about 9 p.m. Sunday. The location of the incident was redacted from the arrest report.
A woman told deputies she drove her white Nissan Altima to her grandmother’s home. The woman got out of the car, left the keys in the ignition and went inside the residence for 10 minutes, reports show.
When the woman came back outside, she noticed her car was missing, deputies said. Another deputy patrolling the area spotted the stolen vehicle near the 2800 block of 43rd Street, reports show.
Deputies detained the juvenile driver. The youth told deputies he decided to steal the vehicle after he saw the car “running on the side of the road unoccupied,” reports show.
Deputies arrested the juvenile.
