A family has been left in shock after their 10-month-old baby was left on the roadside when a thief took off in their car with the infant in the back seat.
The incident happened shortly after 7 o'clock last Sunday evening on St Attracta Road in Dublin when the vehicle was left briefly unattended by the family.
It is understood that the mother and her partner left the Skoda's engine running outside their home with both their ten-month-old and nine-year-old in the back seat when the opportunist stole the motor.
While the older child managed to jump out of the car before the thief took off, the younger child remained strapped into its seat. The thief then drove a short distance before realising there was a child in the rear.
Gardaí understand the thief stopped the vehicle and removed the child, leaving it on the roadside while still strapped to a booster seat.
Thankfully, the child was unharmed during the ordeal and did not require medical attention.
The thief has yet to have been arrested and the vehicle has not been recovered at the time of writing. However, gardaí are investigating whether the robbery is connected to an attempted carjacking in Phibsborough just minutes beforehand.
Labour Party Councillor for the area, Declan Meenagh, says it's a nightmare scenario for the family involved: "It's something anyone could have done. just one thing does horribly wrong", he said.
"I'm just glad the baby is okay... which is some comfort. I just hope the family is okay and eventually they will get their car back."
