Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Chile! Roommates, it might be time to start locking your car keys up when the kids are around! An 8-year-old Ohio girl gagged local police this week after she reportedly took a joyride to Target in her family’s SUV.
On Sunday (Sept. 15), a family reported their eight-year-old missing to the Bedford Police Department, per TODAY.com. A service report stated that the 911 call came in shortly before 9 a.m. It had reportedly been two hours after the family last saw the unnamed girl.
During their search, responding officers obtained Ring camera footage from a neighbor. The surveillance footage showed the child getting into the family’s 2020 Nissan Rogue by herself and pulling off at around 7 a.m. According to CNN, she had been spotted driving on a nearby road, but Bedford officers couldn’t immediately locate her.
Ultimately, officers from the Bainbridge Police Department found the missing SUV in a Target parking lot. The store was located about 25 minutes away, which is between 11 to 13 miles southwest of the child’s home, per the service report.
When officers entered the Target, they found the Ohio girl inside. Her family later came to pick her up and the car. She reportedly told police that she hit a mailbox on her 25-minute drive.Given her age, it doesn’t appear that she’ll face charges at this time.
On Facebook, the Bedford Police Department found the entire incident to be a kii and joked about lil’ sis enjoying a frappuccino.
“Well Ive finally found a woman whos in more of a hurry to shop at Target than my wife,” the Bedford PD post stated. “More of hurry by 8 years. Thats right an 8 year old took mommys car this morning and drove to Target in Bainbridge to shop. Thankfully she made it and was immediately located by Bainbridge Police. Shes now home safe. Not sure what she bought, or if she was even able to use her Target app to save 5%. We did let her finish her Frappuccino. Were not mean.”
Meanwhile, Target employees reportedly told local outlet WEWS-TV that the child had over $400 when she walked in, shopped around, and then checked out. Neither Bedford nor Bainbridge PD have publicly confirmed these details.
Speaking of minors taking joyrides, in May 2023, an unnamed 10-year-old stole a 2017 Buick Encore in an attempt to travel from Buena Vista to Detroit in Michigan. Police unsuccessfully attempted to get him to pull over on 1-75. The car finally came to a stop after the child drove into the guardrail in a minor accident.
