A 43-year-old man who jumped into a running car with two young children inside at a Highlands Ranch garage sale Friday afternoon appeared intent on kidnapping the children, authorities say.
Robert C. Orr of Littleton was arrested for investigation of two counts of kidnapping, two counts of child abuse, first-degree criminal trespassing and motor vehicle theft, said Sgt. Ron Hanavan, spokesman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Hanavan said it is apparent that the main motive in stealing the car was to kidnap the children.
“We do not believe this was a car theft,” he said. “We have confirmed this is a stranger abduction.”
Hanavan said that at about 12:20 p.m. a parent of two children, ages 1 and 3, got out of a car at a garage sale on Anasazi Indian Way in Highlands Ranch, leaving the keys in the car and the engine running.
Orr allegedly jumped in the car and drove away, he said.
The parent immediately called 911 and the sheriff’s office flooded the area with deputies. It only took four minutes for a deputy to spot the suspect and stop him at Highlands Ranch Parkway and Broadway, Hanavan said.
“We were very fortunate that a tragedy was averted,” he said.
The two children were not harmed and they were soon reunited with their parents, Hanavan said. The sheriff’s office is not releasing the names of the parents, he said.
Deputies are investigating why the suspect abducted the children. An online search of criminal records does not indicate Orr has a criminal record in Colorado.
“There is a safety message here,” Hanavan said. “Don’t ever leave children unattended even for a couple of minutes. Anything can happen at any time and it only takes a couple of seconds.”
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or follow him on Twitter @KmitchellDP
