PHILADELPHIA (WCAU) – A car thief who stole a vehicle with children inside was chased down and beaten to death by the kids’ father and other bystanders Thursday night, Philadelphia police said.

The violent ordeal began around 9 p.m. when a 25-year-old woman parked her Hyundai sedan outside a pizza shop on 29th and Dauphin streets in North Philadelphia.

The woman left her three young children inside the running car as she went inside to visit her boyfriend, who was an employee at the restaurant and the father of two of the kids, police said.

Suddenly, a 54-year-old man jumped into her car and sped off with the children, who are between the ages of 7 months and 5 years old, strapped inside, according to investigators.

The woman’s boyfriend ran after the thief, police said. The man drove about half a block before getting stuck in traffic at 29th and York streets, officials said.

The kids’ father then pulled the thief out of the car and beat him as other bystanders in the area joined the attack, according to investigators.

Medics responded to the scene and found the car thief unconscious with severe injuries to the head and face. He was taken to Temple University Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after 10 p.m.

The woman and her boyfriend were taken into police custody for questioning. Both cooperated with investigators, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

Police are also checking surveillance video from a nearby business.

Both the homicide unit and the District Attorney’s Office will work to determine if the father will be charged, Small added.

None of the children were injured during the ordeal.