This past Father’s Day, a parent’s worst nightmare became a reality in New York City. On Sunday, not only was someone’s personal vehicle stolen from them, but their six-month-old child was inside the vehicle at the time. The victim’s information has not yet been released at this time, but it is confirmed that the infant was found unharmed and the suspect is currently in police custody.
A petty carjacker from New York City has been arrested and placed into custody after stealing a car with a six-month-old infant inside this Sunday. The carjacker has been identified as 53-year-old Victor Matos, who is a resident of the Bronx. Around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, NYPD received reports of an individual who was later confirmed to be Matos, entering a minivan that had been left running momentarily on the corner of East 46th Street and 3rd Avenue in the borough of the Bronx. The minivan was described to police as a 2000 Chrysler with Pennsylvania license plates. The suspect then drove off in the vehicle, with the infant child in the backseat.
As the report got to the NYPD, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry quickly acted on the situation by attempting to get more public information through social media. In a post on the social media platform X, Daughtry called upon New York residents to be on the lookout for the van. Less than an hour later, Daughtry updated the public with the positive news that the six-month-old was found safe, and the suspect was in police custody.
Matos was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree kidnapping, criminal possession of stolen property, and endangerment of a child less than 17 years of age, as well as unlawful imprisonment. However, this is not Matos first run-in with the law, as the NYPD reported to the New York Post that Matos had prior arrests, which included a grand larceny auto charge in November.
