27 January 2023 , 16:38
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A suspected kidnapper fled in a family car with a child in the back seat leaving their parents "terrified" and sparking a major police search.
South Wales Police are investigating the incident which took place in Swansea on Thursday.
Officers said the car was later abandoned and the child managed to walk back to the family home from wherever they were left, reports WalesOnline.
The child was thankfully unharmed.
Detective inspector Gareth Jones said: “South Wales Police received a report at 6.30pm last night, Thursday, January 26, of a car having been stolen at Crwys Terrace, Penlan, with a child in the back seat.
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"Local police officers alongside officers from our roads policing unit, joint firearms unit, and National Police Air Service made an area search.
"The car was located abandoned and has been seized for forensic examination. CID are leading the ongoing enquiries.
South Wales Police are investigating the incident which took place in Swansea on Thursday (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"The child walked back into their family home a short time later and was found to be unharmed.
“This was clearly a terrifying incident, as it would be for any parent, and we are investigating this incident as a child abduction as well as a motor vehicle theft.
"A 39-year-old man from Fforestfach has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and is currently in police custody.”
Anyone with information, or who may have been in the surrounding area of Crwys Terrace at the time of the incident is being asked to contact the police, quoting occurrence number 2300027422.
You can contact police via its live chat service from 9am until 4pm by clicking here, or you can provide information by clicking here. Alternatively, you can e-mail [email protected], or call 101.