Child found safe after armed carjacking, suspects on the loose

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Car in West Oak Lane carjacking recovered; suspects still at large: Christie Ileto reports on Action News at 10 p.m., February 27, 2019

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 6-year-old boy was found safe and sound after carjackers forced the child and a male passenger from the stolen car, police say.

The boy was escorted from his Cedarbrook home late Wednesday night by detectives and taken to the Special Victims Unit after police had put out a bulletin for his return hours earlier.

Around 9 p.m. the stolen Mercedes SUV was found abandoned at 3rd and Fisher streets, but the suspects remain on the loose.

Detectives say a group of men carjacked a father, with his son and a family friend, at gunpoint at 75th and Tulpehocken streets in West Oak Lane around 5 p.m.

Man carjacked at gunpoint; child inside car located, car still missing: as seen on Action News at 6 p.m., February 27, 2019

The father was forced from the car with the child and adult passenger still inside.

This touched off a search for the silver Mercedes R350.

But unbeknownst to the father, within a couple minutes, the men dumped the passenger and the boy around the corner, near West Cheltenham and Maryland Road, and took off.

"One to two minutes after the carjacking, the male passenger and the juvenile passenger in the Mercedes were let out," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Carl Holmes.

They child and family friend walked for a mile and a half to East Mount Airy Avenue where they were located by police.

Police have not released any descriptions of the suspects other than they were seen in a Burgundy Chrysler.

Detectives combed through the contents believed to have come from inside of the silver Mercedes that were scattered throughout the intersection.

Investigators say it is not clear at this time if the carjacking was random or if the victims knew the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.