5 year old boy taken in car robbery

A car thief drove through Middleton with a five-year old child still in the back of the vehicle.

The offender had tried to lift the boy out of the car when he stole it on Monday afternoon (10 August). The boy's mother tried to stop him so he drove off with the youngster still in the car.

The 32-year-old woman had stopped in her grey Vauxhall Astra on Boardman Lane at around 1.30pm. She left the engine running while she got out momentarily and the thief got into the car.

He drove off towards Manchester Old Road and abandoned the car a few minutes later on Broad Street.

A resident found the boy crying on the street.

The offender is described as a white man, aged between his late teens and mid twenties, about 5ft 9in tall and was either balding or had a shaved head. He was wearing a light grey fleece top with the hood pulled up, covering his face.

Detective Sergeant Jason Burke of Rochdale CID said: "The ten minutes this little boy was missing were the worst of his mother's life and incredibly distressing for him too.

"Fortunately, he was unharmed but this could have ended horribly and the person responsible must be caught.

"If you saw anything or know who did this, please contact me."

Anyone with information is asked to call Rochdale CID on 0161 856 4646 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.