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Car thief dumps baby on pavement Car thief dumps baby on pavement
(about 2 hours later)
A car thief dumped a four-month-old baby on a pavement after realising the child was inside. A four-month-old baby was dumped on a pavement by a car thief who found the boy in the stolen vehicle.
The baby was in the back seat of a silver Lexus which was stolen on Hypatia Street in Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Thursday night. The child was in the back of a silver Lexus stolen by a man wearing a police jacket in Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Thursday evening.
A short time later the thief spotted his passenger and drove back to the street where he left the child, who police said was unhurt. Police said the boy was returned - still in his car seat - by a man in a Nissan Micra about 30 minutes later.
A 39-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of kidnap and theft. Officers hunting for the Micra found it crashed shortly afterwards and a 39-year-old man was arrested.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were alerted to the car theft at about 1715 GMT. Greater Manchester Police said the parents' "horrendous ordeal" began at 1715 GMT when the mother was approached by a man while sitting in her Lexus on Hypatia Street.
After being told the child had been brought back, officers began searching for a Nissan Micra that the suspect was believed to be driving. Believing he was a police officer, she began to get out of the vehicle before being pulled out of the way.
Collision arrest This was a horrendous ordeal for the family who were left absolutely distraught that their baby was taken from them Det Con Graham Clare
About 30 minutes later they were called to reports of a collision between a Micra and two other vehicles on Winchester Way. She managed to get her other son - aged two - out of the car but could not reach her baby.
"Officers attended and discovered a Nissan Micra had collided with a Citroen Xsara and a Volkswagen Passat," said a GMP spokeswoman. Police know the Lexus was involved in a hit-and-run collision on Bury Road, outside the Black Horse Pub, about 15 minutes later.
"It is believed the Micra had been used in an earlier incident on Hypatia Street, Bolton just after 5.15pm, where a silver Lexus was stolen. No-one was injured and the offender drove off, but the car is yet to be recovered.
"A baby was in the back seat of the car at the time of the theft but the child was returned to Hypatia Street a short time later unhurt." At 1745 GMT, the distraught parents were still standing at the scene of the theft when a man in a Micra pulled up and put their baby on the pavement.
The man, who was arrested at the scene of the collision, remains in custody for questioning. Police were alerted to the Micra and a short time later a patrol officer spotted it turning into Thicketford Road, towards Winchester Way.
Suspect in hospital
By the time the officer turned his car around to follow the car, he found it had been in collision with a Citroen Xsara and a Volkswagen Passat.
The driver and two other people were injured in the collision.
Det Con Graham Clare said: "This was a horrendous ordeal for the family who were left absolutely distraught that their baby was taken from them.
"Fortunately he was returned safe and well but the time he was missing must have felt like an eternity for his parents."
The man was arrested on suspicion of theft and kidnapping and is currently at hospital being treated for injuries to his leg and neck.