Man steals van with 1 year old inside - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

Man steals van with 1 year old inside

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By Michael Thompson - email
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GILMER, TX (KLTV) -

One-year-old Zakar Sheikh has been found safe after his parents and Gilmer police say someone stole a van with the child inside.

Andrew Crane, 31, of Houston is charged with aggravated kidnapping, abandoning or endangering a child in imminent danger of bodily injury, tampering or fabricating physical evidence, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is being held in the Upshur County Jail on $285,000.

Around 12:30 this afternoon, police said Andrew Crane stole a van at the Texaco on Highway 271. Zakar's mother Amber, who owns the Texaco with her husband Nasir, was unloading groceries and saw a white male by the door of the store. Once inside, she said she then heard tires squealing. She went back outside to find her van gone. She had a store employee call authorities, and then attempted to chase the van in a customer's car.

Just before 1 p.m., Zakar was found on Holly Road in Upshur County. He is doing just fine. About 20 minutes later, police found the van on Lime Tree Road, near where Zakar was dropped off, but the suspect was not with the vehicle. Crane was eventually found at his friend's home around 3:35 p.m. and arrested on aggravated robbery charges. He was taken to ETMC in Gilmer to treat self-inflicted cut wounds before being transported to the Upshur County Jail.

KLTV has learned Crane was in the hospital in Gilmer on Monday. Police tell us he was on drugs and having suicidal thoughts.

Gilmer police said they are not pursuing charges against the parents. Police said the mother was going back and forth between the van and the store, and was never too far away. They said it was inappropriate to file abandonment charges.

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