UPDATE, 6:33 p.m.: From the Eureka Police Department:
On Sunday, March 13, around 8:30 p.m., EPD officers responded to an automotive store on the 1600 block of Broadway on a report of a stolen vehicle with children still inside. The caller reported his white, late-model Nissan Altima had just been stolen from him in front of the store. This occurred while he left it running with the keys in the ignition and went inside to make a purchase. His young three-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter were still in the car at the time the unidentified suspect stole it and left in an unknown direction.
Responding officers requested a countywide bulletin for the victim’s children and car, along with a state Amber Alert. Officers and the victim’s family also began searching Eureka for the vehicle. A family member located the Nissan just under an hour later, abandoned in a parking lot near West Harris and Central Avenue. Both children were found to be unharmed, and were reunited with their parents.
The suspect, believed to be a male, was reportedly last seen running northbound toward West Henderson Street.
This is still an active investigation, as officers process the vehicle for evidence, check for any surveillance video and continue interviewing potential witnesses. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Eureka Police Department at (707) 441-4060.
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There was a massive scare in Eureka this evening, after two children — both under 10 — were briefly abducted in an apparent car theft.
The children have since been recovered safely, along with the car they were in.
Captain Steve Watson tells the Outpost that the Eureka Police Department got the call shortly after 8:30 p.m. They responded to the 1600 block of Broadway, where the apparent theft occurred. They discovered that the father had gone into a store at that location to buy an item, leaving the kids in the car. While inside, the car had been stolen.
A countywide be-on-the-lookout went out to local police agencies, and many began hunting for the vehicle. After a few minutes, though, the father found the car and children parked outside the Dollar Tree store at the Eureka Mall, between Harris and Henderson streets.
Police are still investigating and conducting interviews, but Watson confirmed that they believe the story they got from the “visibly distraught” parents is the correct one.
“On the surface, it appears to be a legitimate auto theft and kidnapping,” he said.
We will update when we know more.
@SWatsonEPD Vehicle and children have been located near Harris/Central. The children are safe. Incident is still under investigation.
— Steve Watson (@SWatsonEPD) March 14, 2016