Three young children in the United States have been arrested after a dramatic police chase, with authorities claiming they learned how to steal a car by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Dramatic Chase and Arrest
The incident, which took place in Ohio, involved boys aged just eight, eleven, and twelve years old. According to police reports, the children were first stopped in a stolen vehicle but then sped away from officers. The eleven-year-old was behind the wheel during the ensuing pursuit.
The short-lived chase came to an abrupt end when the young driver lost control and crashed the car into the side of a nearby home. The boys then fled the scene on foot before officers tracked them down. During the arrest, the children were reportedly terrified, with one heard begging, "I'm sorry. Can you call my mom?"
Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy expressed his astonishment, stating, "This has got to be a record for the youngest driver in a pursuit that I've ever seen. Eleven-years-old, for God's sake. That's incredible."
'Learnt from YouTube'
Attention has swiftly turned to how the children acquired the technical knowledge to steal a vehicle. Police say the trio confessed to watching a YouTube video that demonstrated how to hotwire a car before attempting the crime themselves.
Chief Majoy explained that the suspects used a USB device to open the steering column and bypass the ignition. "I couldn't believe the amount of videos that exist out there that tell you how to steal a car," he told NBC. "That is problematic for law enforcement; they should be taking these things down."
Hotwiring is a method of starting a car's engine without a key by circumventing the ignition switch, a process that has been widely documented online.
Consequences and Charges
Miraculously, no one was injured in the incident, and damage to the property was described as minor. Following their arrest, all three children were returned to their parents or guardians.
However, legal proceedings are pending. Chief Majoy confirmed that the eleven and twelve-year-olds will face charges for their alleged crimes. A juvenile prosecutor will decide whether to bring a case against the eight-year-old boy.
In a poignant moment captured during the arrest, one of the young suspects allegedly told officers he was going to "get coal for Christmas" because of his actions. An officer responded to another child's claim that it was his first time driving by saying, "Well, I could tell by the way that you drove. You suck at driving."
The case has ignited a fresh debate about the accessibility of harmful instructional content on social media platforms and its influence on young, impressionable minds.
