When a mom parked her van with the engine running Tuesday morning while she dropped her youngest child off at a Langley day care, a thief took advantage and drove off with the woman's other two children still seated inside the vehicle.
It happened around 7:30 a.m. in a townhouse complex in the 8800 block of Walnut Grove Drive.
The mother had just parked in the driveway of her children’s daycare.
Police believe that as soon as the thief, a young woman, realized a 10-year-old boy and his three-year-old sister were still seated inside, she pulled over and parked the van.
Witnesses saw the suspect run to a waiting black Honda Civic that drove away.
The licence plate of the Honda turned out to be stolen.
The two children were returned to their mother unharmed, but shaken by the experience.
So was the mother, who was described as extremely upset by police.
Langley RCMP have issued a description of the suspect, a 5’6”, Caucasian with a slim build, who wore her blond hair pulled into a pony tail.
She was wearing a dark head band, grey track pants and a jacket or hoodie.
RCMP Forensic Identification Services were going over the van looking for fingerprints and other evidence.
It was one of three incidents on the same morning where where cars left with their motors running were heisted.
Shortly after 6 a.m. one person parked his 2010 Red Mazda Tribute in the parking lot of Scotiabank in the 19900 block of 96 Avenue, and left his motor running while he went to use the ATM.
When someone drove away in the car, the owner gave chase on foot and flagged down another vehicle that followed the stolen Tribute over the Golden Ears Bridge before it lost its pursuers somewhere in the Hammond area of West Maple Ridge.
And around 7:40 a.m. a man left his Pontiac G6 parked with the engine running in a driveway in the 9400 block of 210 Street.
When he went back into his house to collect his children to take them to school, someone took off in his car.
It was last seen heading southbound on 210 Street.
Anyone with any information about the thefts is asked to contact the Langley RCMP detachment at 604-532-3200 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) if you wish to remain anonymous.
Langley RCMP Cpl. Holly Marks issued a public warning to residents "not to leave your vehicle running unoccupied EVER."