Boston suspect Cristofanes Mendes arrested for allegedly stealing car with toddler inside

A Massachusetts suspect has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pickup truck with a child inside this month.

Boston resident Cristofanes Mendes, 33, was charged with assault by means of a dangerous weapon and larceny of a motor vehicle on Monday morning. He was arrested without incident.

The Boston Police Department reported that they located Mendes in the South End of Boston at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday.

The suspect was in the vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue and Chesterton Street in Roxbury.

The pickup truck theft took place on July 14 in Dorchester.

A family told police that they pulled over near Geneva Avenue to take care of their 2-year-old child, but the suspect jumped into their vehicle and sped down the road.

The suspect eventually came back and dropped off the child, who was sitting in the car seat.

“Moments later, the suspect returned to 430 Geneva Ave. and placed the infant, who was still in the car seat, on the sidewalk,” Boston Police Department said in a previous press release. “The suspect then fled in the stolen truck toward Bowdoin St.” 

“The infant was reunited with the parents and Boston EMS responded to evaluate the infant,” police added.

The truck was later located at 156 Columbia Road.

Police had asked for the public’s help in locating the suspect.