A 10-year-old wanted to take a joyride — so she stole a car and picked up her friends

A 10-year-old girl from North Dakota has been cited for theft of a motor vehicle after she stole a car and took it for a joyride with some friends, police say.

The girl allegedly took the keys to the car from a cubby at the Missouri Valley Family YMCA in Bismarck, North Dakota, according to the Bismarck Tribune.

The girl began driving the car, and picked up three friends for a drive throughout the city, according to KVRR. But then she hit a curb, giving the stolen vehicle a flat tire.

The 46-year-old owner of the stolen car reported the theft at 7:45 p.m., just shortly after he arrived at the gym. On the other side of the town, a witness spotted the vehicle at around 10 p.m. Monday night, with youths huddled around the car attempting to fix the flat tire.

Police arrived at the scene, and confronted the youths about the vehicle.

The 10-year-old who stole the car admitted that she found the keys in a cubbyhole at the gym, adding that she threw the phone and wallet of the vehicle’s owner out the window.

Police found the items by using an application on the man’s stolen phone.

Authorities cited the girl for theft of a motor vehicle, then released her to her parents.

Her friends did not receive a citation because they believed the car belonged to the girl’s relative.

Earlier this year, an 8-year-old in Ohio was caught driving himself and his four-year-old sister to McDonalds because they were both hungry but their parents were asleep. No charges were filed in the case.

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 6:39 AM with the headline "A 10-year-old wanted to take a joyride — so she stole a car and picked up her friends."