Police said a woman stepped out of her vehicle at 19th Street and Michigan Avenue when someone jumped in and drove away.
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Nikie Sukutis said she was visiting her mother-in-law when her car was taken with her son inside. She said she locked the car and went to pay the parking meter. One of the meters wasn't working, so she checked on her son again before walking over to the next one. Just moments later, her car was gone.
"I just called 911 and started screaming 'My car is gone and the baby is in the car,'" she said.
The SUV was found abandoned with the child inside a short time later at Cullerton Street Michigan Avenue, police said. The boy was not harmed.
"I don't know how a person feels when he's winning the lottery of a billion dollars, but I'm more happier than that," Sukutis said.
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Car theft is a big concern for residents against the city as cases of carjacking and car theft continue to rise.
"It's been going on since the summer time so it'd be nice to see a little bit more of a police presence to make the residents and the business owners feel a little bit more comfortable but it's sad overall," said Warren Noel, owner of Sweeney Taud StudioZ barbershop nearby. "They say there isn't really much they can do as far as the budget for the area and the manpower in the area."
In this case, police said they could not get a description on the suspect who stole that woman's car and no one has been arrested.
Sukutis said she and her son are back home and physically OK.
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