Third-Grader Takes Teacher's Van For Ride

An 8-year-old boy swiped his teacher's car keys and took her minivan for a joyride in California. What's more impressive? The boy cruised home safely and made it into the record books as the city's youngest auto thief.

The third-grader told officers he "just wanted to drive around for a while" when he left the James Marshall School. The boy snatched the keys from teacher Caren Brady's purse when she turned her back. The diminutive driver raised the driver's seat of the Dodge Caravan, lowered the steering wheel, adjusted the rearview mirror and turned off the radio.

"This is the smallest child you can ever imagine," said the amazed teacher, who noticed her vehicle missing a couple hours after school. "I don't think this kid is 4 feet tall. He's tiny; he's the tiniest kid in the class".

The boy was suspended from school but since nothing was damaged and no one was hurt, police said they he wouldn't be charged with a crime.

A neighbor saw the boy driving and called police. Officers found the van parked in front of the house, which is less than a mile from the school. They lectured the boy after interviewing him. "You can't do anything but laugh", said Brady, who spent time the next day teaching other children in her class about the consequences of boy's actions.

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