Thieves drive off with three cars left running, unattended in 24 hours in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa police warned residents Tuesday not to leave their running cars unattended after responding to three thefts in 24 hours, including one where a suspect stole a car with a baby in the back seat.

The Mercedes-Benz car was parked outside of an Orchard Street home about 1 p.m. Monday, the motor running, keys still in the ignition and the 1-year-old boy in his car seat. The child’s father had dashed into the house to get something.

“He ran in for what he considered to be a very, very short period of time with his child in a car seat in back,” Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Jeneane Kucker said.

It was a crime of opportunity for suspect Stephen Salazar, 28, who found the running car, got in and drove away, initially unaware he wasn’t alone, Kucker said.

The father came out to find his son and car gone and frantically called police for help, which drew multiple officers and a CHP helicopter. Ten minutes later, the suspect returned to the home with the boy. Police officers were outside talking to the father when Salazar pulled up, police said.

Officers arrested Salazar, who has a history of car theft arrests, on suspicion of car theft and kidnapping, Kucker said. He remained in custody Tuesday with bail set at $130,000.

It was the second car theft Monday involving a driver leaving a running vehicle unattended. A Ford F-250 was stolen at 9:30 a.m. that day after it was left running in downtown Santa Rosa.

About 7 a.m. Tuesday, another driver left a Hyundai in an eastside neighborhood running to warm up. That car was stolen, too, Kucker said.

Kucker used the string of thefts as a cautionary tale for vehicle owners to turn off their engines, lock their cars and never leave anything valuable inside, such as children.