Waitara car stolen with baby inside: Police name man they’re looking for in relation to Taranaki incident

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 had charges filed against him 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 a grass berm before driving off.

The baby wasn’t hurt.

The incident happened about 12.10pm on the corner of Queen and Cameron Sts in Waitara, Taranaki. The baby’s 23-year-old mum had stopped to buy a drink at a 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 him.

“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.”

A 27-year-old New Plymouth woman appeared in court on Wednesday with a charge of unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle. She did not enter a plea and was remanded on bail until her next appearance.

Police were still seeking a second person in relation to the incident.

Young said his daughter was sent a $200 bill by police after her car was impounded. After Herald coverage the salvage yard transferred the money into her bank account.

Her story elicited a strong response from the public, too, with dozens of individuals and businesses offering to cover the cost to get her car back. One offered her a new pram to replace the two in her stolen car.

Young complained about the police response, saying he believed they had “done nothing” to support his daughter, and revealing she had received this bill.

”It f***ing stinks! This girl has got nothing. The police have done nothing.

”How do you think she’s feeling after this? She’s got no car, she only just got her phone back this morning. Her car’s been absolutely trashed...”

He said the car was missing a pram and two baby seats. A wallet was also gone.

A police spokeswoman responded to Young’s concerns about the fee for his daughter’s car, saying this was “required of everyone [when] a vehicle has had to be forensically towed”.

The police spokeswoman earlier explained how the cost was incurred: “The vehicle was initially towed and stored at a vehicle storage facility for forensic examination.”

Police paid for this, as is usual where forensic tow is required. Once the examination was complete, the victim was advised that her vehicle was ready to be collected.”

The vehicle was not drivable, and costs associated with towing and repair are the owner’s responsibility. While we can appreciate that paying to retrieve her vehicle in this instance could be distressing, this is something required of everyone in instances where a vehicle has had to be forensically towed.

Thee fees could be covered by a car owner’s insurance, however, the Herald understood the woman had none.

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.