A 13-year-old and 17-year-old are facing multiple charges after Stratford police said they stole an SUV with a toddler inside—a theft that was caught on camera.

It happened at a gas station on the corner of Barnum and Boston avenues around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday after the driver of a white 2022 Hyundai left his SUV running while making a quick stop inside.

“He pulled up to the gas station with his 3-year-old in the back seat--who was secured in a car seat--to get something to drink for his daughter,” said Lt. Joseph Maida.

Security camera footage shows a sedan pull up about 15 seconds after he went into the mart. Police told News 12 three underage teens were in the car, which police later learned was stolen. One of them got out of the passenger side and into the unlocked SUV, then took off with little girl inside.

Police said when the thief realized he wasn’t alone, he stopped at a nearby Bridgeport fire station on Boston Avenue. That's where firefighter Austin Boyle was on the desk.

“I go to the door and a teenager is holding a little girl, 2 or 3 years old, by the armpits, The girl was crying. I open the door, and he just says, “I found this girl outside a gas station near the old Harding High School, so I immediately get down on a knee, console the girl, and I told the teenager, ‘You did the right thing by dropping the girl off,’” Boyle told News 12.

As Boyle and other firefighters took care of the toddler, the teen left—despite Boyle telling him to stick around to answer some questions.

“He just told me he was going to tell his mom in the parking lot, and he'll be right back. And he ended up getting in the car and driving off,” Boyle recalled, adding that’s when red flags went up.

Boyle contacted police in Stratford and Bridgeport, along with fire headquarters. That’s when everyone at the station learned the real back story.

“Our members did a phenomenal job of comforting her and sitting with her. I just was the female presence that came into the room,” explained Capt. Montique Moore, who said the girl was in good spirits when she arrived but also very aware of what happened. “She said, ‘The strangers took me,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re safe now. Dad is on his way, and when Daddy gets here, everything going to be OK.’ She was like, ‘Yeah, but Daddy doesn't have a car anymore because the strangers took his car.’”

Police brought the girl’s father to the fire station where the two were reunited.

“It was an extremely emotional moment, kind of felt like a Lifetime movie, just to see them reunite. He was very distraught, very upset, very apologetic, took his daughter right out of my arms, and they both began to cry. He just held on to her and kept apologizing,” Moore told News 12. “He was very remorseful that his daughter had to experience that but also very grateful that she was dropped off here and that she was safe and well.”

With the girl back with her family, police continued to look for the stolen SUV, spotting it on Route 8. Police said they chased it onto I-95 and then off the interstate at exit 25 in Bridgeport where the SUV crashed. Police said the 17-year-old driver and 13-year-old passenger took off running but were caught.

The 17-year-old is charged with kidnapping, risk of injury to a child, engaging in a police pursuit, driving without a license, reckless driving, larceny of a motor vehicle and reckless endangerment. The 13-year-old is charged with kidnapping, risk of injury to a child and larceny of a motor vehicle. Both were on juvenile probation for prior thefts, according to police.

Police said they also arrested a third underage teen who was driving the stolen sedan at the gas station. That car has also been recovered.

“Luckily this came with a positive ending, but this could've certainly gone the wrong way,” said Bridgeport Fire Chief Lance Edwards, who stressed not to ever leave your car running and unlocked. “Because as you can see from yesterday, in the blink of an eye that family's life was turned upside down.”