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Mom left kids inside car while shoplifting and vehicle caught fire with them inside, police say

Mom left kids inside car while shoplifting and vehicle caught fire with them inside, police say

Alicia Moore was arrested after allegedly leaving her children in a car while she went shoplifting

A woman has been charged with neglect and arson after allegedly leaving her children in a car while she went shoplifting.

Alicia Moore, from Florida, has been accused of leaving her kids inside a vehicle that became engulfed in flames while she was stealing from a Dillard's department store last month.

According to the arrest report, which was filed by Oviedo Police Department, the 24-year-old parked up outside the Oviedo Mall on 26 May.

Police stated that Moore had left her children there while she and an 'unknown man' went into the store.

An hour later, the report says, Moore dropped her items and ran out of the store after seeing her 2016 Lincoln on fire.

Fortunately, a number of onlookers managed to pull the kids out of the vehicle.

However, the arrest report states that one of Moore's children suffered multiple first-degree burns on her face and ears before getting out of the car.

Alicia Moore was arrested after allegedly shoplifting from a mall.
Seminole County Sheriff's Office

The report, which has the children's names redacted, states: "Oviedo citizens who were shopping at the mall observed the fire and [the children] attempting to exit the vehicle.

"Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue were notified. The vehicle was completely totaled, leaving no identifying marks. [The children] were rushed to Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital for medical attention.

"[One child] suffered several first degree burns, specifically to her face and ears."

Following the incident, Moore was charged with aggravated child neglect after she allegedly left her young children inside the vehicle.

Police say they are not sure what caused the blaze, but Moore has been charged with arson as she was allegedly committing a felony when it happened.

The 24-year-old ran out of Oviedo Mall after seeing her car on fire, police say (stock image).
Google Maps

They also added that her children would not have been hurt had she not been 'neglectful'.

The report stated: “If Moore was not being neglectful, it is unlikely [the children] would have been injured."

Moore pleaded not-guilty to the charges put against her on Friday (2 June).

Her bond was set at $20,000, with her next court date set for 27 June.

This comes after a drone pilot got more than they bargained for when they ended up assisting police in pursuit of a thief who had stolen $30,000.

Following a robbery and home invasion in the San Francisco Bay Area, police cordoned off the area and tried to hunt down the suspect.

Some of the cash seized by officers.
Hercules Police Department

They ended up getting help from an unlikely source, eventually leading to police pursuing the suspect as he tried to make a getaway in an Uber.

They found that someone had entered the property by shattering a glass door at the rear of the house, before making their escape.

The house's occupant subsequently told them that some $30,000 was missing from the property. CCTV footage from the house showed the suspect wearing black sweatpants, a grey shirt around his face, and a blue jacket.

A few hours later at around 9.48am police received a report from a neighbour. The neighbour told officers that he had 'located a subject hiding' while using his personal drone.

Police eventually managed to catch up with the suspect and found the missing $30,000 in the Uber.

Featured Image Credit: Seminole County Sheriff's Office/Twitter/@‌DannellAtchison

Topics: US News, Crime, Police, Technology