Ohio man accused of kidnapping 2 young children arrested in Pennsylvania

ZANESVILLE — The man accused of kidnapping two young children from Zanesville on Thursday was arrested in Pennsylvania.

The Zanesville Police Department received a call around 5:15 p.m. in reference to an abduction that had just occurred, according to the police department.

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Police said a woman was dropping off another child at a business and left her vehicle running with a one-year-old and three-year-old inside. When she came back, she discovered her vehicle had been stolen with the two children in it.

An AMBER alert was issued for the abducted children along with a description of the vehicle.

Police found and reviewed surveillance video in the area and a potential suspect was identified walking in an alley south of where the vehicle was stolen.

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A citizen saw the vehicle in the Washington, Pennsylvania area and notified Pennsylvania State Police.

Washington Police and Pennsylvania State Police located and stopped the vehicle around 7:55 p.m.

The children were found safe and were transported to a local hospital for evaluation, police said. They were later reunited with their families.

Police identified the suspect as Thomas Pritchard, 46, of Zanesville. He was booked in the Washington County Jail in Pennsylvania without bail.

Pritchard is being charged with two counts of kidnapping, endangering children, grand theft of motor vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless endangerment and receiving stolen property.

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