Police have appealed to the public to locate a man wanted in relation to the theft of a car with a baby in the backseat in Taranaki last week.
The incident occurred just moments after the mother had got out of the vehicle on May 10 in Waitara.
CCTV footage uploaded to social media appeared to show the "brazen" incident as the suspect dumped the infant on a grass verge before driving away in the stolen vehicle.
In a post to social media on Friday, police appealed to the public for information on Michael Smith, 34, who has a warrant for his arrest.
He was believed to be in the Taranaki district.
A police spokesperson confirmed "the charges filed against Smith relate to the incident in Waitara last Friday".
"Given the public interest in this, we will publish a proactive statement when he is taken into custody," he said.
Anyone with information on Smith's whereabouts was urged to contact police directly or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
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