Dad Stops Man From Stealing Car With His Kids Inside On LI: Police

BRENTWOOD, NY — A Ronkonkoma man was arrested Tuesday after he tried to steal a running vehicle with two children inside in Brentwood, Suffolk police said.

A father went into Bougatfa Zero smoke shop, at 656 Suffolk Ave., at about 4:45 p.m. while a 2025 Volkswagen was running with his 6-year-old and 5-year-old children inside, police said.

Mustafa Attia, 23, entered the vehicle and tried to drive away, police said.

The father saw Attia get into the Volkswagen and ran back to the vehicle with an employee of the business, police said. The two tried to pull Attia out of the car, but he refused to leave, police said.

Multiple people called 911, and Attia was still in the driver’s seat when Third Precinct officers arrived, police said. Officers pulled him from the vehicle and arrested him, police said.

Attia was charged with attempted grand larceny, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.

He was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for evaluation, police said. He will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.