Boy, 12, from Queens, steals his family's car and takes it on a 124 mile joyride to the New Jersey-Delaware border with his cousin before being stopped by police
A 12-year-old boy took a joyride in his parent's Range Rover along with his seven-year-old female cousin some 124 miles from Queens, New York all the way to southern New Jersey and the state's border with Delaware.
The youngsters were picked up by police at the New Jersey Turnpike's Clara Barton Service Plaza, near the Delaware state line after the boy tried to buy snacks with a stolen credit card he had with him.
The pair had gone missing about 10:40am on Monday from their home in Southern Ozone Park.
The pair left the home in South Ozone Park Queens at around 10:30am on Monday and headed south using the main interstate
The boy, 12, and seven-year-old female cousin rode 124 miles in a Range Rover from New York to the New Jersey/Delaware border
New Jersey State Police spotted the white Range Rover on Monday afternoon after the cousins passed through Staten Island and into New Jersey.
The NYPD also sent out a citywide alert searching for the two, asking for the public's help in tracking down the SUV.
The duo's journey was tracked as they passed through EZPass toll booth readers and license plate readers from the Belt Parkway onto the Verrazano Bridge and into Staten Island.
The boy then ignored attempts by police to get him to pull over.
Duo were picked up by police after the boy used a stolen credit card to make a purchase at a rest stop. Police are pictures outside the family home
Neighbors in South Ozone Park were shocked by the boy's antics.
'I am in awe because that boy was so quiet and respectful. Just observing them you could tell they were very happy but that their parents were strict because they were only allowed to ride their bikes to a certain point,' said Irene Valentine a retired teacher to the New York Post.
'As a parent, it's nerve-wracking. How did he learn how to drive a car?,' she wondered. 'I'm so glad they are safe.'
Police say the runaways may have been inspired by an internet challenge to take a car and drive it until the gas runs out, a police source said.
A city-wide alert was sent out by the NYPD for the white Range Rover (file photo)