Man charged with deprivation of liberty after allegedly stealing car with two children aged under two in it

A 21-year-old South Boulder man will appear in Kalgoorlie court next week on deprivation of liberty charges after allegedly stealing a car with two children aged under two inside it. Kalgoorlie detectives last week laid the two charges plus one of steal motor vehicle in relation to the July 31 incident. Police will allege about 9.55pm the man stole a Kia Picanto hatchback from outside a residence in Boulder, with two children under the age of two in the backseat. It will be further alleged that police found the car about 10.50pm, abandoned at the intersection of Ivanhoe and Piesse streets, with the children still inside the vehicle. Goldfields-Esperance Police Insp. Mick Kelly on August 1 said the one boy and one girl were aged 21 months and 11 months, respectively. Insp. Kelly said the children when found were unharmed but “visibly shaken and crying”. “We believe it’s more of a crime of opportunity, we do not believe it has been a targeted incident (involving) the owner, the mother of the two children,” he said. Police said the man had been refused bail and was due to appear in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on August 20. They said it was an isolated incident, with no ongoing risk to the community.