Fort Lauderdale

Suspect Who Stole Car With Baby Inside in Fort Lauderdale Arrested: Police

Surveillance footage showed man getting into a distracted mother's car and driving away

NBC Universal, Inc.

A suspect who was wanted after surveillance video showed him stealing a car that had a baby inside Monday in Fort Lauderdale has been arrested, officials said.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Lavincent Fisher, was taken into custody around 10 a.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Northwest 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale Police officials said.

Fisher, a Fort Lauderdale resident, is facing charges of kidnapping, interfering with custody of a minor and carjacking without a weapon. He's currently behind bars and being held without bond. 

Officials said Fisher was positively identified from the surveillance video.

In the footage, a man gets into a black sedan in the parking lot of a Chevron gas station on Sunrise Boulevard and drives off.

The mother left her car running with her baby in the backseat. She's seen running outside of the convenience store after she realizes what's happening and tries to stop the driver. At one point, the car hits her, but she keeps trying to stop him.

Police are searching for a suspect after surveillance video shows him stealing a car that had a baby inside. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola reports

'My child was in there. Any parent would do that, but she's OK," said the woman, who did not want to be identified.

A Good Samaritan followed the suspect until he stopped the vehicle and fled, leaving the child behind, Fort Lauderdale police said. He bailed out about a mile away on Broward Boulevard and Northwest 15th Avenue.

The child was uninjured.

"Lesson learned," the mother said. "There’s still crazy people out here. Lesson learned."

The suspect, wearing a blue basketball jersey, is seen in the surveillance footage casually walking behind the woman while she's paying at the register.

Police released a 911 call from the store made after the car was stolen.

“I just had a customer come in here to buy something and somebody literally jumped in her car and pulled out," the caller said.

Other footage obtained Tuesday showed Fisher knocking on doors in a nearby neighborhood the day of the crime.

A subject who was believed to be involved in this incident was detained and later released when officers determined he was not involved, police said.

In a bond court hearing Wednesday, a judge said Fisher "poses an extreme danger to the community." He was arrested in February and March of this year for two grand theft auto charges. 

Contact Us