Vehicle stolen from Northland service station with baby in backseat

Police are scouring a Whangārei Rd after a car was stolen then dumped with a baby in the backseat.

Police are scouring part of Whangārei after a man was reported to have stolen a car from a service station with a baby in the backseat.

The car was dumped near the sports stadium in Kensington and then the man ran off on Russell Rd. Officers found the baby who was not injured.

Police had cordoned Russell Rd and had an officer with a drone flying the area. It's believed the man had taken the car from BP Wylies on Maunu Rd about 11.35am today while the baby's mother went inside.

While police did not have an exact age for the baby a spokesperson said they were very young.

A police dog and handler were also called and were searching the bush area off Russell Rd including a stream.