Police: Man steals car with 1-year-old child inside at Vineland gas station

Vineland, NJ (WTXF) - Police say a man has been arrested and charged in connection with a carjacking and kidnapping in Vineland, New Jersey.

According to police, a woman reported that her vehicle was stolen in front of a gas station on 402 W. Landis Ave. The victim indicated that she went to the gas station and ran into the store to pick up several items and left her vehicle running . Police say she told detectives that she left her 1-year-old child in the rear seat of the vehicle and thought that she locked the door to the vehicle prior to entering the store.

While the victim was inside of the store she told detectives that she saw a man get into her vehicle with her child inside, back completely out of the parking lot onto Landis Ave. and flee heading Eastbound on Landis, according to investigators.

Officers located the vehicle a short time later abandoned at the corner of Grape St. and 3rd St. with the child left unharmed in the car seat in the rear of the vehicle. The child was evaluated by Vineland EMS and returned to his parents.

A short time later a subject matching the description of the accused was located at Main/Landis nd was taken into custody without incident.

The accused is identified as 31-year-old Pedro A. Ortiz. Police say he was charged with 1st degree Carjacking, 1st degree Kidnapping, and 3rd degree Theft of Auto. He was processed and later transported to the Cumberland County Jail.