Three children in Ohio are accused of stealing a car and crashing it into a house after learning how to hotwire vehicles from YouTube tutorials, police said.
The incident occurred on December 20, when officers were alerted to a stolen car moving through the area. Police briefly pursued the vehicle along Harvard Avenue, with speeds reportedly reaching up to 80 mph before the chase ended in a crash into a men’s recovery home. The building suffered minor damage, and no serious injuries were reported.
Authorities later confirmed the suspects were children aged 8, 11, and 12, with the 11-year-old driving at the time of the crash. After hitting the house, the children tried to run but were quickly caught by Newburgh Heights police. Bodycam footage shows officers confronting them before they surrendered.
During questioning, the children allegedly told police they learned how to steal and hotwire cars by watching YouTube videos, with the 11-year-old managing to start the vehicle. The children were later released to their parents and are expected to face charges in juvenile court.