Amber Alert: ‘Anti-Government’ Parents Abduct Two Boys [Video]

A national Amber Alert was issued in the wake of a bold kidnapping of two young boys on Wednesday morning. Joshua Hakken, 35, entered his mother Patricia Houser’s home in the Tampa, Forida area, where he tied her up with twist ties and abandoned her while he fled with Cole, 2, and Chase, 4. He then fled in his mother’s 2009 silver Toyota Camry. Some reports said that his wife, 34 year old Sharyn Hakken, was waiting in the vehicle.

The boys have been living with their grandparents for several months, but the Housers were only awarded permanent legal custody on Tuesday, which is apparently what triggered the kidnapping. The grandfather had already left for work, and investigators aren’t saying whether or not the grandmother was threatened with a gun.

However, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Tampa said that Joshua Hakken is believed to be armed. According to multiple media reports, the Hakkens attended what’s being described as an anti-government rally in Louisiana in July where Joshua was arrested for the possession of drugs in the presence of minors.

At that point, the parents lost temporary custody of the children, who were taken to an unnamed Louisiana foster care facility. Joshua Hakken allegedly then tried to break into that locked facility with a gun but fled when he realized that he couldn’t get in.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Joshua Hakken on multiple counts including the abduction, theft of the vehicle, and battery on his mother.

A second Amber Alert went out this afternoon in Etowah, Tennessee. Investigators say that the family could be in a black 2006 GMC Sierra with a Florida tag number U95KT. They’re expected to provide an update on the situation later today.

The Hakkens are considered armed and dangerous. Don’t get into a debate with these folks. If you see them, call 911 immediately and let the police handle it.

ABC has posted a video which includes pictures of the boys and the parents:

Let’s hope Cole and Chase Hakken are home safe soon, maybe with the help of the Amber Alert.

[police car lights photo Benchill via Wikipedia Commons]