A two-month-old baby was left on a footpath after alleged car thieves discovered the infant inside a vehicle they had stolen in Townsville.
Police say the offenders stole an Isuzu from a property in Garbutt on Monday evening, unaware that the baby girl was inside the vehicle.
The car stopped a short distance away, where the suspects placed the infant, still strapped into her car seat, on the footpath before driving off.
Paramedics assessed the baby as a precaution and confirmed she was unharmed. No injuries were reported.
The stolen vehicle was later located about 9.45pm in a car park on Charters Towers Road with the assistance of the police helicopter. Officers also found a white Ford Ranger, which had been stolen from a Railway Estate address the previous day.
When police arrived, the Ford Ranger was on fire. Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze.
As part of the wider investigation, police arrested 10 people and used tyre spikes to stop five allegedly stolen vehicles.
Eight teenagers and two adults have since been charged with offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle. However, police said none of the charges currently relate to the Garbutt vehicle theft involving the infant.
Investigations into the incident remain ongoing
