- Duaraj Karishna Ramanujam was charged on Friday
- He allegedly stole the car to teach father a lesson
A man who allegedly stole a car with a five-year-old inside to “teach the boy’s father a lesson” has been charged.
Duaraj Karishna Ramanujam, 42, drove into the Shell petrol station on the Princes Highway at Officer, in Melbourne’s south-east, about 8.45am last Saturday.
He saw a five-year-old boy sitting alone in a gray ute after his father ran in to grab a drink while he left the car running.
Mr Ramanujam got off his motorcycle, reportedly jumped into the car and drove off with the child still in the vehicle.
Victoria Police initially arrested the 42-year-old and confirmed on Friday he had been charged with motor vehicle theft and child stealing.
Mr Ramanujam previously targeted the father for leaving his child in the car, claiming he was trying to send him a message.
‘It’s not a big crime, is it? I’m saving a kid, buddy,” he said earlier 9News.
‘He left the car and the child with the engine running, which is not a good thing to do. He should realize his stupidity.’
Duaraj Karishna Ramanujam, 42, drove into the Shell petrol station on the Princes Highway at Officer, in Melbourne’s south-east, about 8.45am on Saturday
Mr Ramanujam got off his motorcycle, reportedly jumped into the car and drove off with the child still in the vehicle
The father emerged from the servo just two minutes after leaving the car and saw that it had been taken.
He rushed inside and used the company phone to call his cell phone, which he had left in the car.
Mr Ramanujam said he had planned to take the child to the police station before the boy’s father called him and the pair agreed to meet at Pakenham police station.
Both parents of the child met Mr Ramanujam at the police station, where Mr Ramanujam was surprised to be met with ‘distrust’ and handcuffed.
He told police there was a misunderstanding because he simply wanted to teach the father a lesson about his child’s safety.
Mr Ramanujam was released after speaking to detectives from the Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit before being charged.
He claimed he used ‘common sense’ in taking the child and insisted it was ‘the right thing to do’.
“My advice to them is to think about their action that led to these consequences,” he said.
Mr Ramanujam will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 28.