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A man drove from a Broward IHOP with a child. Neither the car nor kid were his, BSO says

A mother told Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies she came out of an Oakland Park IHOP Saturday morning to find her car — and the 3-year-old son she left inside — were stolen. BSO’s looking for the man they say drove off with car and child.

The agency says that’s 33-year-old Phillip Pepe, who online court records say was arrested Thursday on drug charges as well as a driving with a suspended license charge. Now, he’s wanted on charges of kidnapping, grand theft auto and false imprisonment of a child.

BSO says Pepe has a right arm tattoo and an abrasion under the left eye. Online court records from the arrest say he stands about 5-foot-7 and weighs 156 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. His address on the arrest is “at large,” but is listed as Lake Worth on a July 2022 traffic violation.

Phillip Pepe Broward Sheriff's Office
Phillip Pepe Broward Sheriff's Office

According to BSO, deputies were summoned to the IHOP at 3101 W. Oakland Park Blvd. around 8 a.m. after a mother said she went into the IHOP and came out to find car and kid gone.

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BSO found both, child not harmed, at 1901 NW 40th Ave. The car had been abandoned. Despite a perimeter with helicopter and dog help, they didn’t find the car thief.

They later identified the suspect as Pepe, a native of Delaware. Pepe got arrested Thursday on cocaine possession, oxycodone possession, drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer and driving without a license charges.

Anyone who knows where Pepe is can call BSO SVU Det. Michael Sgro at 954-321-4256. Those who wish to pass along information while remaining anonymous can contact Broward Crime Stoppers online, 954-493-8477 (TIPS) or **8477 from any cellphone in the United States.