Man who allegedly stole a car with a five-year-old inside is charged – after claiming he was doing the ‘right thing’

A man who allegedly stole a car with a five-year-old inside to ‘teach the boy’s father a lesson’ has been charged. 

Duaraj Karishna Ramanujam, 42, pulled into the Shell Service Station on the Princes Highway at Officer, south-east Melbourne, at about 8.45am last Saturday.

He spotted a five-year-old boy sitting alone in a grey ute after his father had run inside to grab a slab of water while leaving the vehicle running. 

Mr Ramanujam hopped off his motorbike and allegedly jumped into the ute and drove away with the child still inside the vehicle. 

Victoria Police initially arrested the 42-year-old and on Friday confirmed he’d been charged with theft of motor vehicle and child stealing.

Mr Ramanujam earlier took aim at the father for leaving his child in the car and claimed he was trying to send him a message. 

‘It’s not a big crime right? I’m saving a child, mate,’ he earlier told 9News.

‘He left the car and the child with the engine on which is not a good thing to do. He should realise his stupidity.’

Mr Ramanujam hopped off his motorbike and allegedly jumped into the ute and drove away with the child still inside the vehicle 

The father came outside the servo just two minutes after he’d left the car and saw it had been taken.

He rushed inside and used the business’ phone to call his mobile, which he’d left in the ute.

Mr Ramanujam said he intended to take the child to the police station before the boy’s father called him and the pair agreed to meet at Pakenham Police Station. 

Both the child’s parents met Mr Ramanujam at the police station, where Mr Ramanujam was surprised to be met with ‘distrust’ and put in handcuffs.

He told police there had been a misunderstanding as he’d simply wanted to teach the father a lesson about child safety.

Mr Ramanujam was released after speaking with Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit detectives before being charged.

He claimed he was using ‘common sense’ by allegedly taking the child and insisted it was the ‘right thing to do’.

‘My advice to them is to consider their action that led to these consequences,’ he said.

Mr Ramanujam will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 28.