Associated Press – July 2, 2008:

Police in Dillon, a small town near the North Carolina border, say a 13-year-old with an interest in law enforcement twice stole a police cruiser and took it out to do some patrolling.

The boy’s mother saw him bring the car home both times but didn’t see anything wrong with the joyrides, Police Sgt. Jason Turner said.

The boy, who was charged with larceny and second-degree burglary, was not identified because of his age. He remained in Department of Juvenile Justice custody Wednesday.

His mother, Patricia Gillespie, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The boy apparently watched someone enter a code to get into the department, then used it to get in and take the keys to the cruiser, Turner said.