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Man Steals SUV With Kids in Backseat, Crashes in Camden County: Police

Two children found themselves caught in the middle of a high-speed theft in South Jersey late Saturday night after police say a man stole a Chevy SUV while they sat in the backseat, and sped five miles before flipping the vehicle.

UPDATE: The mother of the children faces neglect charges

The incident began at Colombo Liquors on White Horse Pike near Ashland Avenue in Magnolia. Police said at about 11 p.m. a woman parked her silver Chevy SUV at the liquor store and got out of the vehicle to go inside. NBC10 obtained surveillance video showing a man, later identified as 38-year-old Christopher Dumas, staring at the Chevy from across the street. Police say the suspect then walked towards the running vehicle, climbed inside and took off -- with the woman's two children sitting in the back.

While police say they never chased after him, Dumas panicked and sped down White Horse Pike into Audubon, according to investigators. He then lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another SUV. The driver of the second SUV was taken to Cooper Medical Center to be treated for injuries she suffered in the crash, police said.

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Dumas continued to drive off in the stolen vehicle, police said. Eventually, he lost control of the Chevy, careened across the front lawn of a house on Merchant Street near Wyoming Avenue, and flipped the vehicle onto its roof, according to investigators.

The kids -- ages 8 and 10 -- suffered minor cuts and bruises in the crash, police said. Dumas was taken to the hospital where he received treatment and was then placed in police custody. He is charged with kidnapping, child endangerment and related offenses. He is currently being held in Camden County Jail

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