August 6, 2024, 4:00 p. m. | Update: 4:29 p. m.
The suspect turned himself in with his stolen object after locating the baby in the back seat. August 5, 2025 (photo SLCPD)
(SLCPD Photo)
BY DIANA JONES
SALT LAKE CITY — On Monday, a car was stolen with a baby inside.
According to a report from the Salt Lake City Police Department, the mother left her car running in the driveway while she went to pick up the rest of her children.
That’s when the suspect intervened and drove off with the car.
The investigation began some time later. Local police received a call from her mother saying that her car had been stolen, with her eight-month-old baby inside it.
Officers immediately began searching for the car, including a license plate reader to locate the car’s last location.
Meanwhile, the suspect saw a baby sleeping in the back seat, so he went to the sheriff’s office, handed the baby to an off-duty deputy, and admitted to stealing the car.
The off-duty Salt Lake City Police Department officer and the South Salt Lake Police Department officer arrested the suspect.
The suspect known as Dimitri Saliba, 29.
He is unharmed and has been returned to his mother.
– Salt Lake City Police (@slcpd) August 5, 2024
This could be a situation, although not uncommon. Some adventures don’t have a satisfactory ending.
According to Kids and Car Safety, so far this year, 61 young people have been left in stolen vehicles.
The children regularly and even end up returning to their families, but sometimes they end up traumatized.
A similar situation can be avoided if a child is never left alone in a vehicle.
According to the Kids and Car Safety website, “thieves monitor cars that are left running or unattended with internal keys. Most of the time, they don’t realize there’s a child inside until after their vehicle is stolen.
The site suggests carrying your car keys and locking the doors, even if you’re leaving for a second.
Parents can also use their car parking, such as in drive-thru vehicles or curbside vans.
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