Police are on the hunt for a ‘brazen’ thief who stole a car from outside a Cambridgeshire shop – without realising a 10-month-old baby was in the back seat.

The victim had left her silver Volvo outside a shop in London Road, Kimbolton, at around 3.30pm yesterday (January 25) while she briefly went inside.

A man, who had been a passenger in what is believed to be a blue Peugeot which pulled up nearby, got into the Volvo and drove it away with the baby, who was strapped in his car seat, in the back seat.

The child’s mother sprinted after the car after she saw it had been taken, before the thief stopped the car and abandoned it around 100 yards down the road.

The baby was recovered safe and well.

PC Carl Harris said: “The car was stolen in broad daylight in a matter of seconds by a brazen thief who got more than he bargained for.

“Fortunately the child was unharmed but this was a deeply disturbing incident which could have had terrible repercussions.”

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who recognises the man in the CCTV images.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or through their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.