Man charged with kidnapping after stealing minivan that prompted Amber Alert Monday
A 34-year-old man who stole a car with a 2-year-old boy inside at a Raytown convenience store, prompting an Amber Alert on Monday, has been charged with child kidnapping, prosecutors said.
Robert Mitchell was also charged with stealing a motor vehicle after he drove off with a white Dodge Caravan that was left running outside the convenience store at 6024 Blue Ridge Boulevard, according to Jackson County Prosecutor’s office.
The boy was found safe about 30 minutes after the Amber Alert was issued.
According to charging documents, the child’s father went inside the convenience store to warm up food for his son, leaving his car running and his child in the car. When he came back outside, he saw his car was gone.
Video footage showed Mitchell entering the car from the passenger’s side door, climbing into the driver’s seat and leaving the area heading westbound on 61st Street towards Raytown Road.
After the Amber Alert was issued, the Lee’s Summit Police Department located the vehicle and began pursuing the car along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Mitchell. A third man was also arrested after Mitchell allegedly dropped the man off at a Home Depot in Lee’s Summit, charging documents said.
Mitchell told police that he had driven a white van, picked a man up and dropped him off and he was later pursued by police.
