The 11-year-old drove as a license-plate alert sparked a chase that ended with minor damage and no injuries, police said.
NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, OH — Three boys ages 8, 11 and 12 led police on a brief pursuit in a stolen car Saturday afternoon and crashed into a house before running and being detained, authorities said. Officers reported no injuries after the collision and said the children told them they learned how to steal the vehicle by watching YouTube videos.
Police said the pursuit began just before 3 p.m. Sat., Dec. 20, when an automated license plate reader flagged a reported stolen vehicle traveling west on Harvard Avenue near East 54th Street. Newburgh Heights officers tried to stop the car, but it kept going and struck a home minutes later. The boys ran from the wreck but were quickly taken into custody. The case has drawn attention because of the ages involved and the department’s account that the children used online tutorials to hot-wire the car and start it. Investigators described the damage to the house as minor and said the incident is being forwarded to juvenile authorities.
Officers said the 11-year-old was driving, with a 12-year-old and an 8-year-old as passengers. Police Chief John Majoy said the car had been reported stolen out of Parma earlier in the day. “They told the officers that they watched a YouTube video,” Majoy said, adding that when he searched the site out of curiosity he found numerous tutorials. Body camera video from the arrest shows an officer ordering two boys to the ground and a third running back to lie down seconds later. In the footage, one child apologizes and begs officers not to hurt them. After the crash, police said the boys tried to make a left turn and lost control. The vehicle hit a men’s recovery home after crossing the Denison Bridge corridor westbound on Harvard, according to the department’s account.
Majoy said the 8-year-old is the younger brother of the driver. Officers said no one inside the house was hurt and the boys were uninjured. Police said the children were released to their parents after being processed while charges are prepared for juvenile court. The department said the 11-year-old faces counts including fleeing and eluding and receiving stolen property. The 12-year-old is expected to face a receiving stolen property count. Because of his age, the 8-year-old may not be charged. The crash caused minor exterior damage to the home and yard, officers reported, and the recovery facility remained open. The car was towed as evidence and will be returned to its owner after processing. Officials did not immediately provide a dollar estimate for the damage.
Police said the pursuit was short and stayed within Newburgh Heights, a small Cuyahoga County village bordered by Cleveland and traversed by Harvard Avenue and the Jennings Freeway. The incident comes amid national attention on social media-influenced vehicle thefts that have targeted certain models and drawn lawsuits and software fixes. In this case, officers emphasized that none of the children lived in the recovery home and that residents there were startled but safe. The department said the body-worn camera video reflects what officers encountered on arrival and during the foot chase, including the moment the third child surrendered beside the others in a yard. Majoy said he was struck by the ages involved and their matter-of-fact descriptions of what they had seen online.
Investigators said they are compiling reports for juvenile prosecutors and will seek a court date once documents are complete. Police said they notified parents at the scene and handled statements from the children with a guardian present, in line with procedure. The department plans to share an incident report with Parma police regarding the stolen vehicle. Any additional counts related to the theft itself would be handled in juvenile court. No hearing date had been set as of Tuesday, and officials said they would update the public once charges are formally filed. The recovery home’s management is expected to coordinate with insurers over repairs and may provide a damage estimate later this week.
Neighbors described a jarring thud and then the sound of shouting as officers converged. “It was over fast,” said Cleveland resident Marcus Hill, who was driving nearby when he saw the car clip the curb and swerve. Majoy said the ages weighed on officers who are more accustomed to teen drivers. “They should be riding bikes and having snowball fights,” he said, calling the episode “sad” even as he praised the quick response. In body camera audio, an officer scolds one boy — “You’re 12 years old … stealing cars?” — before guiding the trio to the ground. The video then shows the children quiet and compliant as more units arrive.
As of late Tuesday, police said the boys were home with their families and the case was moving through intake. Officials said the next public update is likely when juvenile charges are filed and a hearing is set, expected later this week if paperwork clears. The home that was struck had minor damage and remained occupied. The stolen vehicle’s owner has been contacted about retrieval after evidence processing.
Author note: Last updated December 23, 2025.