A 9-year-old College Park boy

was taken into custody Monday evening by Peachtree City police for stealing

a golf cart parked at a Braelinn liquor store, police said.

The boy, who was staying with

his aunt at Harmony Village Apartments, took the cart from Arnie's Fine

Wine, Liquor and Beer after 8 p.m., said Chief James Murray. Witnesses

to the incident used a cell phone to call police, Murray said.

The witnesses followed the

boy from Crosstown Court all the way to Harmony Village where officers

made contact with the boy, Murray said. A juvenile complaint was filed

on the boy, who was released to his mother, Murray said.

"Apparently someone showed

him how to do it," Murray said. "... It really concerns me when

I see a 9-year-old committing a crime."

The charges against the boy

may not stand because of a law that says a juvenile must be at least 10

years old to commit a crime, Murray said. That decision will be up to

the district attorney's office, the chief added.

The boy, who will become 10

in November, was charged with one felony count of theft by taking (motor

vehicle) and underage operation of a golf cart, Murray said. The boy was

alone when the incident took place, Murray said.

The chief said he was concerned

that the boy was not supervised by an adult during the time of evening

the incident occurred.

"It's hard enough to police

adults, much less 9-year-olds that commit crime," Murray said, adding

that police would forward information about the case to the Department

of Family and Children Services. "Nine-year-olds believe in Santa

Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. That's what you think they

are,children."

The boy will be questioned

as to whether he is involved in other golf cart thefts in the area, Murray

added.

Because so many golf carts

operate on the same type of key, they are stolen easily, Murray said.

Most times, the golf carts are taken for "joy rides" and later

found elsewhere, police have said.

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