4 Kids, Ages 10 To 14, Steal Parent's Car, Go On A Nearly 600-Mile Road Trip

Four kids from Australia did not let their age stop them from going on an unsupervised cross-country road trip on Sunday. The group, ages 10 to 14, stole a car from one of their parents and took a nearly 600-mile joy ride to go fishing, BBC News reports.

The group packed the vehicle with fishing poles and began their adventure from Queensland to New South Wales. They stopped at a gas station in the town of Banana and allegedly stole gas.

One employee at the service station saw the bunch on the gas station's security footage. "He is really short. Look, he barely even reaches the window," the attendant said about the young driver.

The three boys and one girl who were in the car are not siblings. One boy left a note for his family, telling them he was leaving.
The group was eventually discovered safe in the town of Grafton. They will face unspecified charges, police said.

The police first spotted the car in a nearby town and stopped the chase due to concerns over the driver's age. Then, they saw the car parked on the side of the road in Grafton, Darren Williams of the New South Wales Police said.

"[The children] locked themselves in the car and police have had to use a baton to get into the vehicle to arrest them," Williams said, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Williams said the four children most likely took turns driving during the trip, which can take about 10 hours. "It's a pretty big journey, and it's a long way for a young person," he said.

Drivers in Queensland and New South Wales must be 17 years or older to get a license. Police will question the four kids once their parents are present.