Baby Safe After Alleged Car Thief's 'Thoughtless and Inhumane' Act
A 32-year-old man has been arrested in regional Victoria following a shocking incident where a sleeping baby was allegedly removed from a car and left in a box before the vehicle was stolen. The event unfolded outside the Farm Fresh Supermarket on Maude Street in Shepparton.
The mother had briefly run into the shop on November 14, leaving her red Volkswagen running with the air conditioner on and the doors unlocked. Her baby boy was asleep in the back seat.
CCTV Captures Alleged Theft
CCTV footage from the scene reportedly shows a man approaching the vehicle. The footage allegedly captures the man removing the infant from the car, placing him in a discarded box within the carpark, and then driving off with the Volkswagen.
The mother returned to the carpark just moments later to discover her car was missing. She quickly found her child, who was safe and unharmed, in the box. With the assistance of a local shopkeeper, she immediately called triple-0 for help.
Arrest Made and Stolen Car Recovered
The stolen Volkswagen was located the following day, November 15, in the nearby town of Mooroopna. Police investigations led to the arrest of a 32-year-old Mooroopna man in central Shepparton at about 2pm on Friday.
The man is expected to be interviewed by police regarding the incident and also faces serious driving offences.
Detective Acting Sergeant Andrew Costello commented on the case, stating the mother was only in the shop for "a matter of moments". He described the alleged actions of the man as "thoughtless and inhumane" and emphasised that while the baby was safe, the situation could have ended "horrifically".
Costello also issued a clear warning to the public, stating that it is not safe to leave a child alone in an unlocked car. He confirmed that the boy's mother was remorseful for her actions and recognised she had made the wrong decision.
