FL - ‘I wouldn’t have taken it if I knew’: Florida man returns car with baby inside, after taking it 17 OCT 2025

[Knox]

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car — only to return it seconds later, police said.

William Mullis, 53, is seen on camera outside a Sunoco gas station in Cocoa, off U.S. Highway 1. He appears to look around, then walks north, out of the view of the gas station’s surveillance camera, toward the victim’s car, according to an arrest affidavit.

The car is then seen driving toward the exit, stopping before making a right onto U.S. Highway 1. It backs up, passes the pumps and comes to a final stop in a parking space in front of the store, according to the report.

The mother then runs out of the gas station and confronts Mullis.

‘I wouldn’t have taken it if I knew’: Florida man returns car with baby inside, after taking it - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car —<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

 

[Bigditch]

View attachment 620781

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car — only to return it seconds later, police said.

William Mullis, 53, is seen on camera outside a Sunoco gas station in Cocoa, off U.S. Highway 1. He appears to look around, then walks north, out of the view of the gas station’s surveillance camera, toward the victim’s car, according to an arrest affidavit.

The car is then seen driving toward the exit, stopping before making a right onto U.S. Highway 1. It backs up, passes the pumps and comes to a final stop in a parking space in front of the store, according to the report.

The mother then runs out of the gas station and confronts Mullis.

‘I wouldn’t have taken it if I knew’: Florida man returns car with baby inside, after taking it - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car —<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

Dude needs a new barber. Jmo

 

[Knox]

Dude needs a new barber. Jmo

I thought the cut emphasizes his punkin head nicely

In all seriousness, you don't often get an apology from a car-jacker. Thank God he returned the child to Mom, but what was SHE thinking leaving her kid in the car with the door unlocked and running?!!

She told investigators he said he would not have stolen the car if he had known a baby was inside. He then apologized and left the area on foot.

 

[Stunned]

That ended well for everyone. Hope lessons were learned!
1. Never leave your your child in the car, running or not!!!
2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
10. Always check the backseat of the car your stealing first.

 

[adot0902]

That ended well for everyone. Hope lessons were learned!
1. Never leave your your child in the car, running or not!!!
2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
10. Always check the backseat of the car your stealing first.

Yeah I’m saying everyone gets a mulligan on this one. He brought the car/baby back. Mom learned a valuable lesson. Give pumpkin head a 2nd chance, he touched my soul bringing the kid back

 

[PromotedPawn]

Who called the police? If I was mom I certainly would've been to embarrassed to make the call.

I think jacked up hair cut man should be released.

MOO

 

[Lebowski]

there are worse criminals in the world. maybe charge him for the theft, but not the kidnapping.

 

[PromotedPawn]

Any word on if the barber has been arrested also?

 

[jepop]

Any word on if the barber has been arrested also?

They could start by putting out an APB on local topiarists who career pivoted into barbery.

---

 

[Sheila Terranova]

That ended well for everyone. Hope lessons were learned!
1. Never leave your your child in the car, running or not!!!
2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
10. Always check the backseat of the car your stealing first.

Always check in the backseat before stealing car ….excellent advice! Note to self…I must remember that!
PS Normally I am not fond of crime but in this case the man obviously risked arrest by returning said baby so I am feeling weirdly fond of him and hope he gets off easy. I think his genuine apology was what moved me. (Then again, maybe because I’ve married men with less compassion.)

 

[iamshadow21]

View attachment 620781

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car — only to return it seconds later, police said.

William Mullis, 53, is seen on camera outside a Sunoco gas station in Cocoa, off U.S. Highway 1. He appears to look around, then walks north, out of the view of the gas station’s surveillance camera, toward the victim’s car, according to an arrest affidavit.

The car is then seen driving toward the exit, stopping before making a right onto U.S. Highway 1. It backs up, passes the pumps and comes to a final stop in a parking space in front of the store, according to the report.

The mother then runs out of the gas station and confronts Mullis.

‘I wouldn’t have taken it if I knew’: Florida man returns car with baby inside, after taking it - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

COCOA, Florida (WESH) — A man is facing charges of grand theft and kidnapping after video shows him driving away with a woman’s car —<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

This man must have known the chance of him being caught for doing this were very, very high. He did it anyway, because it was the right thing to do and he had absolutely no wish to put the child in danger. He apologised. He put that kid's well-being front and centre and sacrificed his own self preservation.

Yes, he should face changes for the initial theft but I hope there is leniency and mercy from the court.

MOO

 

[PayrollNerd]

Well, we can confirm at lease 2 neurons in his brain connected successfully. He put the safety of the child over his own selfishness.

Now give him a good punishment to force the rest of his neurons to connect. A hefty fine, points on his drivers license, community service helping others. Perhaps that will help him realize he can be an upstanding citizen, not a prisoner wanna be.

Mom needs a few lessons in parenting to keep her focus on family safety. As annoying as it is to put the child in/out of a car seat, it’s necessary so plan accordingly.

 

[Spectrix]

I feel like charging Mr pumpkin-head with grand theft auto and kidnapping after he returned the car and apologised to the mother, is rather unfair.

If he'd been less responsible, he could have finished his joyride and abandoned the car & baby somewhere random, then who knows what might have happened to the child.

If it were me overseeing this case, I'd drop the charges and pay for a new haircut for the poor fellow.

 

[tlcya]

Very glad this criminal isn't a monster. Proof positive that even those with skewed morals can have them.

 

[scapa]

I feel like charging Mr pumpkin-head with grand theft auto and kidnapping after he returned the car and apologised to the mother, is rather unfair.

If he'd been less responsible, he could have finished his joyride and abandoned the car & baby somewhere random, then who knows what might have happened to the child.

If it were me overseeing this case, I'd drop the charges and pay for a new haircut for the poor fellow.

Agree that a sympathetic barber is a priority here.

Beyond that, community service and some period of mandatory oversight likely required, but with the majority here in feeling that prosecution and incarceration on charges of kidnapping/ grand theft likely unwarranted.

Freedom with oversight order / restitution results in greater likelihood of a future positive outcome than a punitive lesson that results in the risk of greater harm should The Punkin One reoffend.

JMO, MOO, etc.

 

[crcap]

Can you imagine him returning the baby and the car chastising the mom for leaving her kid in the car unlocked and unattended? Lol

 

[Spectrix]

It seems this might have happened a few times

For this one, the thief returned and lectured the mother about leaving her little boy unattended in the car