Man charged after stealing car with 6-year-old child inside, Manassas police say

MANASSAS, Va. - A man was arrested in Manassas on Thursday after allegedly driving away in his brother-in-law's car with a six-year-old child in the backseat. 

Police say the incident occurred around 3:50 p.m. on March 26 at the Exxon gas station on Wellington Road. 

When officers arrived, they met with the 911 caller who told them that his brother-in-law got in the passenger seat of his car while he was inside the gas station and drove off with his 6-year-old son inside.

All jurisdictions were notified and police began the process of issuing an Amber Alert with the Virginia State Police but within minutes, authorities spotted the stolen car at an intersection in Manassas Park. 

Police say they conducted a "high-risk" traffic stop. The driver did not initially comply and police ended up using a taser to take the subject into custody. 

When police searched the car a gun was found but the 6-year-old child was gone. 

The child was quickly found by a Prince William County Officer at a nearby residence and was reunited with their parent. 

Police have identified the suspect as 38-year-old Devon Lamont Pinckney. He was taken to the Prince William County jail where he was charged with abduction, grand larceny of a vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is being held without bond. 

At this time, police say the motive for the car theft and abduction isn’t known. Due to the age of the victim and the ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time.