SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City police have identified a man who allegedly stole a vehicle with two children inside Wednesday afternoon.
Jeremy Ohm is accused of taking the vehicle from the area of 800 S 900 W.
Det. Mike Hamideh, Salt Lake City Police Department, said the vehicle’s owner left the children sleeping inside the back of the car as she went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order.
The woman, who is related to the children but is not their mother, left the car running, and Hamideh said the woman believed the children would be OK and that she would be back quickly.
Hamideh said the crime was one of opportunity, as the car was on when the suspect came upon it. Police located the vehicle and took Ohm into custody a short time later near 200 South and 500 West.
“In a case like this we’re fortunate that nothing more serious happened,” Hamideh said. “In this case, she called us, was able to give a great description that was broadcast to the police department, and officers located the car.”
Hamideh said people shouldn’t leave their children in their car or leave their vehicle running while they do errands, no matter how quickly they think they will be finished. He said the investigation is still ongoing, but he said they do not think the suspect was trying to kidnap the children.
“It’s very early, but our indications are that this was a crime of opportunity, that he did not know there were children in the car,” he said.
Ohm faces felony charges of child kidnapping and receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, as well as misdemeanor charges of theft and hit and run.
