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 1News. 

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.