Police: Teen steals car with 3-year-old inside

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Detectives have arrested a 17-year-old they say stole a car with a 3-year-old child inside while its mother was pumping gas.

Police said the incident happened on May 26, 2016, at around 11:30 a.m. at a RaceTrac on the 5100 block of South Cobb Drive.

Police said Gia Hooks pulled in to get gas. Her 3-year-old son was in the backseat. The dramatic surveillance video shows a BMW pull up next to her car, a young man in a red shirt crouches down and runs over to Hooks' vehicle, slides in, and takes off. Hooks' starts screaming and sprints after her car.

"She's yelling 'Hey! Hey! Hey! There's a child in the car!'" said Cobb County Police Officer Sarah O'Hara.

Others at the gas station heard her cries for help and were on the lookout for the car.

"We had multiple witnesses that came back and said this is what we're looking for and we even had a citizen follow the vehicle," said Officer O'Hara.

The car was found just a couple of blocks away, abandoned in the middle of the street. The little boy was safe. The thieves were gone.

Tuesday, Cobb County Police arrested Michael Williams. Investigators said he was the one who stole Hooks' car. He was charged with kidnapping, hijacking a motor vehicle and felony theft.

Cobb County Police said that they arrested Williams with the help of the United States Marshals, Atlanta Police Department, and East Point Police Department on Tuesday.

Police said there were three others in the car with him they have not been caught.

Shadonna Eason was at the same gas station shortly after the arrest. She said she's been hearing so much about slider crimes, she rarely goes to gas stations alone.

"I make sure I have someone come with me to the gas station and if I do come by myself I make sure I lock the doors and keep my purse and keys with me," said Eason.

Police are asking anyone who may have additional information about the case to please call detectives at 770-499-4539.