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Police have named a man they’re looking for in relation to an incident in Waitara this week where a car was stolen with a baby inside.��

They want the public’s help in finding Michael Smith, who has a warrant for his arrest, police said in a post to the Manawatu, Taranaki, Whanganui-Ruapehu police Facebook page this afternoon.��

Smith was the man with charges filed that “relate to the incident in Waitara last Friday”, police told 1��һ�ǿ�����.��

The 34-year-old is believed to be in the Taranaki district.��

Video footage of last Friday’s incident showed a car speeding around a corner before a man got out - as the car continues rolling - to take a baby boy from the back and put him on the grass berm before driving off.��

The baby wasn’t hurt.��

The incident happened last Friday about 12.10pm on the corner of Queen and Cameron Sts in Waitara, Taranaki. The 23-year-old mum had stopped to buy a drink at the corner shop, leaving the car briefly unattended.��

Her father, Shane Young, said his terrified daughter chased after the offender in another vehicle before discovering her abandoned child, and fainted when reunited with the little boy.��

She immediately jumped in a member of the public’s car and chased after the offender. Young said she found her baby dumped on the roadside.��

“She jumped in [the member of the public’s] car and he chased the guy down the road and tried to cut him off. Then, the guy [offender] drove up on the footpath and got around them,” Young said.��

When she and the driver saw the baby on a grass berm, “she got it back and she fainted”, he said.��

Anyone with any information on Smith’s whereabouts should call police via 111, quoting case number 240510/8076. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.��