Police say Florida boy, 7, stole SUV and left path of damage

[April 28, 2008]  PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) -- Police say a 7-year-old Florida boy faces grand theft auto charges after taking his grandmother's sport utility vehicle for a joyride. The eight-minute trek left a swath of damage in his Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood Friday. The boy smashed mailboxes, hit parked cars and signposts. He was unhurt.

Police say he literally drove until a wheel fell off. The right front wheel, to be exact, which broke off after the boy hit a sign.

Police spokeswoman Ellen Lovejoy says the boy is unlikely to be prosecuted. They arrested him so he can get some help, noting the excursion was "unusual behavior for a 7-year-old."

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.