Juvenile charged in W. Philly vehicle theft, abduction

A 17-year-old juvenile has been arrested and charged with stealing a minivan that had an infant inside, police said Friday.

The defendant, who was not named because he was a juvenile, was charged with kidnapping, theft and related offenses, police said.

About 7:50 a.m. March 14, police said, a 32-year-old man had left the engine running on his 2013 Chrysler minivan while he went inside the 49 Stop Food Market, at 4847 Walnut St. The man's 4-month-old son was secured in the back seat of the minivan.

While the man was in the store, the defendant got into the van and drove away with the child inside, police said.

According to police, the father used another cellphone to text his own phone, which was inside the van. The thief responded and gave a location where he left the baby.  The infant was later found on the steps of a home at Greene and Penn Streets in Germantown unharmed.

The van was recovered Thursday in Frankford after the juvenile turned himself in to police.  It was then returned to the owner, police said.

- Julie Shaw