An 11-year-old boy took his grandmother's car and drove four other kids around Oceanside Friday, launching a search for the kids and the car, according to police.
A store clerk called police just after 1 a.m. when he noticed the boy driving a blue Hyundai Elantra from the Shell Gas Station on Douglas Drive in Oceanside.
He told police he was concerned because it appeared that several 10- or 11-year-olds were in the car with him and he didn't see an adult, Oceanside Police Department (OPD) officer Tom Bussey said.
"The clerk there noticed that the five boys didn't even look old enough to drive," Bussey said.
OPD said surveillance video showed the boy driving with four other children in the car.
Police traced the car back to a woman on Myrtlewood Court, who realized both her grandson and her car were missing. She had last seen her grandson at 10 p.m.
Police launched a search for the boy and the car.
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Police located the vehicle before 5 a.m. but had not found the boy, OPD said. Officers began going door-to-door in the hopes of finding someone with information on his whereabouts.
The boy was located by 5:40 a.m., about four hours after going missing just north of Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, according to OPD.
The other boys in the car were not with the 11-year-old boy when he was found, police said.
Anyone with information on the child should contact the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4900.
