Hazel Dell thief steals car with kids inside

A thief stole a car in Hazel Dell Saturday afternoon with two children inside. The car and the kids were later recovered.

The incident occurred about 4:30 p.m. at a home near Northeast 15th Avenue and Northeast 94th Street, according to Clark County sheriff’s deputies.

The owner of a Toyota Camry momentarily left the car running and unattended after they loaded two small children into their car seats. One of the children was sleeping.

According to surveillance video, that’s when a white late-model vehicle with tinted windows, possibly a Kia Optima, drove up. A man got out of the passenger seat, climbed into the Camry, and both vehicles drove away.

The stolen car was later found abandoned a few blocks away. The children were still in the car, and one was still asleep.

A witness reported seeing a man matching the suspect’s description being picked up by a white car with tinted windows and leaving the scene.

The suspect is described as a Black man of average height. He wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and baggy black pants.

The white car also has gray wheels in addition to tinted windows.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Detective Unit is handling the investigation.