13-year-old arrested and charged with car theft – NBC4 Washington

A 13-year-old boy is charged for his involvement in a car theft in Northeast DC

The crime occurred Tuesday in the parking lot of a Home Depot on Rhode Island Avenue in the District. Police said they arrested one of the suspects, the 13-year-old, shortly afterward.

The victim of the crime is Wasif Chaudhry of Maryland, a husband and father of two children. He still can’t believe it, especially after learning that one of the suspects is so young.

“He threw his life away for nothing,” Chaudhry said.

Chaudhry said he had no idea when he left home in his Hyundai Elantra that his day would end with the car being seized as evidence hours later.

“It took me a while to understand what was happening,” he said.

Chaudhry was making a quick stop to work just after 6 p.m. when things took a dangerous turn. At first he thought it was a joke.

“They said, ‘Get out of the car before we shoot you,'” he said. “When I saw their faces, I saw they were little kids, and at first I thought, ‘Wait, what are you talking about?'”

Chaudhry handed over the keys while a witness called police. The suspects fled in his car but didn’t get far. Police caught them about two miles away on First Street near Randolph Street Northwest. One of the suspects ran away and the 13-year-old was arrested.

Police brought Chaudhry to the area to identify the car thief.

“They were wearing hoodies but no face masks, right?” Chaudhry said. “But when I saw them later, I realized that one of them was actually younger than I thought.”

As the teenager waits to learn his fate, he says he is torn.

“What should I do? I have children at home, don’t I? One is barely older than her, she will be five months old in two days, one will be three in August,” said Chaudhry. “What about my children? But you know he is someone’s child too, right?

Chaudhry said he was grateful to have returned home safely and hoped the juvenile suspect would receive the help he needs through a rehabilitation program.

He had this message for the parents at the DMV:

“Life is precious. Please take care of your children. I mean, sometimes they need help, they just don’t know how to say it.”

Police are not releasing the name of the 13-year-old suspect because he is a minor. However, News4 understands that he is accused of unarmed car theft.

If you know anything that can help with this investigation, call the Metropolitan Police Department.