NEW SPRINGVILLE — An ex-con who stole an SUV while a 3-month-old was inside has surrendered to police, the NYPD said.
Kenneth Byrnes, 46, of Toms River, N.J., turned himself in at the 121 Precinct on Monday afternoon for stealing the 30-year-old woman's 2008 Ford after she left her son in it and went to get coffee, police said.
He was charged with grand larceny, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle at his Tuesday arraignment, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's office.
On Saturday, the woman was on her way to Babies 'R' Us with her son when she pre-ordered a cup of coffee from the Dunkin' Donuts at 77 Richmond Hill Road, a spokesman for the NYPD said.
She pulled her 2008 Ford into the parking lot and went into the store while leaving her car running and her baby inside, police said.
When she came out of the store at about 10:10 a.m., Byrnes had taken it with the child inside, police said.
A person called police at about 10:34 a.m. reporting an SUV with a baby inside parked near 3rd Avenue and 54th Street in Sunset Park. When officers arrived at 10:50 a.m. they found the child inside uninjured, the NYPD said.
The boy's father, Mike Keller, told CBS 2 that his wife pre-ordered the coffee so she wouldn't have to wait on line, but realizes she made a mistake.
"That’s what’s killing her, 'cause she know what she did was wrong," Keller told CBS.
“You’re like, ‘oh it’s only going to be a second, and that’s all it takes is that one second."
Byrnes has been arrested 29 times before, most recently in October for burglary, police said.
He previously had two stints in prison for robbery, grand larceny, burglary and attempted burglary convictions, according to the Department of Correction.
For his latest arrest, Byrnes bail was set at $75,000 bond, $50,000 cash, the DA said.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment.
