Vero Beach police investigation into 2023 car theft, kidnapping leads to arrest of man, 29
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY − A months-long investigation into a car stolen with an infant inside ended Sunday with a charge for a 29-year-old Vero Beach area man who authorities said stole the vehicle then abandoned it along with the baby in 2023.
The report of a 10-month-old boy inside a stolen car to police on Sept. 15 spurred a multi-agency manhunt that led to the discovery of the car and the child, but not the person sought for stealing them.
In a roughly seven-month investigation to follow, Vero Beach police detectives and Indian River County Sheriff's Office forensic investigators evaluated DNA evidence from a hat believed dropped by the man as he fled through an apartment complex. They also studied surveillance footage reportedly showing his movements on foot before the 2004 Honda Accord was stolen from a 16th Street beauty supply store and after it was abandoned in a 15th Street residential area.
Along with the footage, and the DNA profile probability matched in the Indian River County Sheriff's Office crime lab, tips to police led detectives to Tevin Wallace, who arrest records show with a last address of the 700 block of 10th Avenue Southwest.
Detectives began to suspect Wallace as early as October 2023. During a December stint in jail on unrelated trespassing and resisting officer charges, they obtained DNA samples to match against those from the hat police said Wallace wore during the car theft and dropped during an escape on foot through Shadowbrook Apartments.
More: Search ongoing for man accused of stealing car with infant inside; Baby found safe in car
In a warrant affidavit seeking charges on grand theft auto and kidnapping signed by a judge April 9, police stated Wallace, "has an extensive criminal history" and had spent time in a state prison on a felony conviction.
A deputy served the warrant with one charge of grand theft auto and arrested Wallace who he said in the report was located in the 3100 block of 45th Street just before noon Sunday.
According to TCPalm reports of police statements, the car was taken from a beauty supply store in the 1200 block of 16th Street at 4:26 p.m. where it was left running with the baby inside by the boy's father, who stopped for a purchase and returned the get his ID, only to find the car gone.
The man who spoke to detectives through a Haitian Creole interpreter told the store owner what happened and the owner called the police, according to reports.
The car was found at 5:03 p.m. near apartments in the 4200 block of 15th Place.
The baby was found unharmed, still buckled into his car seat nearly 40 minutes after the car was reported stolen, according to police.
More: Child alone in store leads to man's neglect charge; IRCSO urges use of autism resources
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Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow @coreyarwood on X, email corey.arwood@tcpalm.com or call 772-978-2246.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vero Beach area man, 29, charged in Sept. 2023 car theft, kidnapping
