A father was subjected to any parent's worst nightmare when he realized his car had been stolen with his two-year-old son still inside.
Australian father, Jake, had left the engine running and his toddler asleep in the back seat of his grey 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan while he quickly ran inside a local shop to buy some ice cream.
It was at that moment that an opportunistic thief hopped inside the car and sped off at around 4:00 PM on Sunday (January 8), with the toddler still fast asleep.
Jake was less than 100 feet away from his son at Just Delicious Gelato when the terrifying ordeal took place and had only left the engine running to keep the air conditioning on for the tot, as the Australian summer had reached temperatures of over 86 degrees.
Watch the terrifying moment unfold below:Acting senior sergeant Grant Lewis was quoted in The Age as saying that the thief was likely unaware that there had been a child in the car, and that the thief's decision to drop him off nearby was probably in order to avoid more serious charges, such as attempted kidnapping.
"[The thief has] stolen that vehicle, driven about 350m through the rear of the Chelsea shops before he's obviously realized there's a child in the vehicle. He's then stopped the car, put the child on the side of the road ... and driven off erratically southbound on Nepean Hwy towards Frankston [...] I prefer that the child be put on the side of the road than remain with an offender driving fast and erratically in the car," Lewis stated. "But that doesn't endorse or absolve him of any responsibility," he added.
The sergeant also told 7 News that, while he doesn't intend to "blame" or "shame" Jake and other parents, they should generally be more aware of the dangers of leaving vehicles unattended.
"It's a serious matter and we don't want to victim shame or victim blame, but clearly in future, we've got to be mindful ... We need to secure our vehicle and keep our kids safe," he explained.
Nine News detailed that, while the child had been found safe and sound, the car had still not been located. Security cameras at a McDonald's recorded several people exiting the vehicle, and police have since managed to arrest two suspects in connection to the theft.
Authorities have released the names of 18-year-old Jonathan O'Connor and 20-year-old Brylee Dickson - who were both apprehended at a shopping center on Tuesday (January 10). Police have revealed that the investigation remains ongoing.
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