Police in northern Florida stopped two pre-teen siblings for driving a stolen vehicle in a bid, according to authorities, to run away to California in their mother’s car.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said they pulled over a white sedan traveling on Interstate 75 near Gainesville shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday.
Police said the children’s mother had reported the car stolen from her North Port, Florida home four hours earlier, around the same time she told authorities her children had gone missing.
Deputies approached the stolen vehicle with guns drawn and ordered the suspected car thieves out of the vehicle.
“Much to their surprise, deputies observed a 10-year-old male driver exit the vehicle, along with his 11-year-old sister,” the sheriff’s office said.
Police said they contacted the children’s mother, who drove three hours to take custody of both children.
The mother declined to pursue charges in the incident.
— This article is based in part on wire service reports.
