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Father catches thief who took van, girl
By TAMARA LUSH, Times Staff Writer TAMPA -- Morris Boone just stepped inside his home for a moment Saturday, but it was long enough for someone to jump into his idling van and drive off with Boone's 4-year-old daughter inside. A neighbor saw what had happened and shouted to Boone, who jumped in a neighbor's car and followed the van until it stopped. When it did, he jerked the thief from the seat and started punching him. The man ran off. The child was unhurt. The whole drama began and ended in mere minutes. Tampa police said Boone started his van about 9:20 p.m. Saturday to warm it up, and told his daughter, whom police did not name, to climb in the van and wait while he went back inside his home at the Westshore Mobile Home Park, 6601 S West Shore Blvd. Boone and the girl were in the process of moving out. A neighbor then yelled to Boone that his van was driving off, said Tampa police Capt. Brenda Murray. Boone borrowed a neighbor's car -- police were unclear whose car it was -- and followed the van about a mile to the intersection of W Gandy Boulevard and S Manhattan Drive. "Apparently, the suspect didn't know he was being followed," said Murray. As the van pulled into a McDonald's, Boone pulled into the parking lot, blocking the van. After yanking the driver from the van, Boone punched him several times, police said. The man fled. Boone's daughter was very shaken but unhurt, authorities said. Police said they do not think the van thief knew the girl was in the vehicle. Boone could not be reached for comment Sunday. The man who took the van had not been found Sunday night. He is white, about 6 feet tall and 220 to 230 pounds. He has short blond hair, is between 25 and 28 years old and was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. Anyone with information about the man's whereabouts is asked to call the Tampa Police Department at 354-6698.
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