Manhunt for suspect who dumped stolen vehicle with baby in the back seat

The father of a child taken when a thief stole his mother’s car has told of one factor that reassures him over the frightening ordeal.

Michael Ryan father of the child at the centre of today's car theft at Clearview. Picture: 10 News

A police manhunt is underway to track down a suspect who stole a car with a baby in the back seat.

Just after 11am, a white Mazda SUV was stolen from outside a business at Hampstead Rd, Clearview, while a one-year-old baby boy slept in his car seat in the rear of the vehicle.

The baby has since been reunited with the mother but the suspect remains on the loose.

The child’s mother had been in a shop when she saw a male suspect enter her car and she ran to confront him.

She was pushed to the ground before he drove off.

Police were able to track the car using the victim’s mobile phone and the vehicle was located about 20 minutes later in Walkley Heights with the child safe inside.

The car was dumped by the suspect on Pioneer Street just after 11.20am.

It is understood he ran south from the scene towards Stockade Botanic Park in Northfield.

The suspect is described as being of caucasian appearance with a scraggly beard. He was wearing faded track pants with light lines down the side, a hooded jumper that was creamy in colour with a bit of white.

Michael Ryan, the father of the one-year-old, told 10 News First of the moment he found out what had happened.

“When I got the call that there was an emergency, my partner was getting dog food and someone had decided to jump in our car while my partner was inside and drove off leaving with my son in the car,” he said.

Mr Ryan told 10 News First that the man had almost run his partner over when stealing the car.

“I think (it’s) lucky that he’s (his son) not old enough to have known what was going on,” he said.

“He’s a trooper.”

Witnesses said the mother was screaming: “my baby’s in the car, my baby’s in the car, help, help!”

Residents in nearby homes told The Advertiser they were unaware anything had happened until police came knocking on their door.

“I was just in shock when they told me, I didn’t see or hear anyone,” he said.

A man came to retrieve the victim’s car on Thursday afternoon.

Tim Beaton, the co-owner of The Pet Food Centre on Hampstead Rd, said the mother was in his shop when the incident occurred.

The Pet Food Centre co-owner Tim Beaton said the mother was in his store when the frightening crime occurred. Picture: Eva Blandis

“Basically, we were serving… a few customers at the time, and then she went running out to her car,“ he said.

Mr Beaton said the car started going backwards.

“She went out there and got pushed out of the car by someone who was stealing the car,” he said.

The shop owner said he didn’t realise initially that a baby was inside.

“She was distraught as you would be,” he said.

“We comforted her, we rang triple zero and got the police out.”

Mr Beaton said the mother was watching the car the entire time she was in the shop.

“It’s just one of those things that happened,” he said.

“You don’t expect that to happen.”

Mr Beaton said the woman was injured and had a “scuffed up” knee.

If anyone saw suspicious behaviour around Rowe Court at Walkley Heights and a Mazda CX9 SUV they are asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.