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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is ordering the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services to launch new intervention programs aimed at youth involved in motor-vehicle theft, after a series of recent stolen-car crashes in Baltimore caused deaths, serious injuries and urgent calls for action. The directive, issued this week and reported Thursday, May 7, 2026, directs the agency to begin pilot efforts in Baltimore City and Montgomery County.
In a letter to DJS Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino, Moore said public safety is his top priority and that the recent frequency of motor-vehicle thefts involving youth and young children is deeply concerning. "We cannot wait for a tragic crash to be the first point of meaningful intervention," Moore wrote. "We must act decisively to interrupt this pattern of behavior before more lives are lost."
Under the order, DJS must develop strategic action plans with state and local law enforcement partners. The initial pilot programs will be located in areas seeing the largest increases in motor-vehicle thefts compared with the same period in 2025.
Pilot teams will identify children who have already been involved in thefts or are considered at elevated risk, then coordinate intervention with families, social-service providers and law enforcement. The plan also calls for using existing interagency "Youth of Concern" meetings to connect children with prevention services.
A separate piece of the plan focuses on early intervention for younger children. Law enforcement, social workers and school personnel will work together to identify children involved in stolen-vehicle incidents or showing concerning behavior before they are old enough to face formal criminal charges. The goal is to provide targeted support before the behavior escalates.
DJS is also asked to explore a specialized intervention model similar to the Ramsey County Youth Auto Theft Intervention Project in St. Paul, Minnesota. That model pairs police with community navigators and credible messengers to engage at-risk young people and their families. Moore directed DJS to consider how the approach might build on its existing Thrive initiative.
The agency must submit an initial status report by Dec. 1, 2026.
A DJS spokesperson said Moore's directive builds on work the department already has in place around youth motor-vehicle theft. The department will expand targeted interventions and rapid-response efforts, beginning in Baltimore City and Montgomery County.
Through existing Youth of Concern meetings, DJS said it will work with law enforcement and community partners to identify at-risk young people, respond quickly after incidents and connect children and families with appropriate services. The department also said younger children involved with community-based or residential services through the Child in Need of Supervision process will be part of those efforts.
DJS added it will explore opportunities to build on Thrive and expand partnerships with credible messengers. "Our focus remains on strengthening public safety, holding youth accountable, and connecting young people and families with the supports needed to reduce further involvement in the juvenile justice system," the department said.
The directive comes after several high-profile incidents involving stolen vehicles and young drivers in Baltimore.
In one case, police said a 12-year-old was driving a stolen Kia when it struck and killed a motorcyclist in west Baltimore. The victim, 69-year-old Barry Wright Jr., died after being taken to a hospital. Surveillance video showed the stolen Kia approaching the intersection, moving around another vehicle that appeared stopped at a red light and then hitting the motorcyclist. Seconds later, a female passenger and the male driver got out of the smoking vehicle and fled; neighbors appeared to chase them. Police arrested the 12-year-old driver and a 15-year-old female passenger.
In another incident, a stolen car carrying several teenagers crashed into an MTA bus in Baltimore. Police said 16 bus passengers were injured, and four people in the stolen vehicle were hurt, including two critically. The bus passengers ranged in age from 2 to 78. Officers began following the stolen vehicle near North Avenue and North Gay Street before the driver sped away. The pursuit moved through the Broadway East neighborhood and ended when the car collided with the bus on North Wolfe Street. The impact spun the stolen car nearly 360 degrees and pushed the bus into nearby trees.
In September, a 14-year-old was sentenced in connection with the death of 3-year-old Jordan Bright. Police said Jordan was struck by a stolen car driven by the teenager in June near West Pratt Street and South Monroe Street. The teenager was charged with auto theft and vehicular manslaughter and prosecuted in the juvenile justice system. Details of the sentence were not released because of the teenager's age.
A 15-year-old was arrested in a separate recent incident after a stolen vehicle led officers on a pursuit and crashed into police and parked vehicles in East Baltimore. Police received a license-plate-reader alert near 33rd Street and Loch Raven Boulevard just after 11:15 p.m. The driver refused to stop and hit a police vehicle during the chase. The stolen car then came to the 5000 block of Anthony Avenue, where three people got out while it was still moving. The unoccupied vehicle continued down the street, struck a parked car and caught fire.
The Maryland order comes amid a broader national trend of youth auto theft that has been linked to social-media-driven methods for stealing certain Hyundai and Kia models. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has reported large increases in thefts of those vehicles since 2021, prompting prevention and enforcement efforts in multiple states.
Maryland's approach mirrors programs in other states that pair law enforcement with community-based outreach rather than relying solely on arrests. The Ramsey County model in Minnesota has been cited as an example of using credible messengers to reach young people who may not respond to traditional authority, and DJS will study whether it can be replicated in Maryland.
For now, the first pilots are set for Baltimore City and Montgomery County, with the first progress report due to Moore's office by Dec. 1, 2026.
