Gaithersburg Police Department charged a 15-year-old boy on Friday after a group of children fled from two stolen vehicles in the city. The incident occurred in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and was reported at 18:50 GMT. Officers said the teenagers abandoned the cars and ran on foot as police approached.
Investigators said the stolen cars were found nearby after the youths left them unattended. The police department confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody and booked on a charge related to the theft and subsequent flight.
The case arrives less than a month after a separate incident in nearby Germantown, where a man lost his life after being struck by children driving a stolen vehicle. That tragedy prompted heightened awareness of juvenile involvement in auto thefts across the region.
Gaithersburg authorities indicated that the investigation remains open and that they are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements. No injuries were reported in the recent Gaithersburg event, and officials have not released further details about the suspect's legal proceedings.
In a public briefing, the Gaithersburg Police Department said the investigation will continue to determine how the teenagers obtained the keys and whether any adults were involved. Detectives are also checking local tow records and interviewing nearby residents to piece together the timeline before the cars were taken.
City officials have reiterated ongoing efforts to educate young people about the legal consequences of auto theft. Recent outreach programs in schools and community centers aim to reduce similar incidents, especially after the fatal Germantown crash that drew regional attention to the dangers of unsupervised vehicle use by minors.