KEY POINTS:
A relieved dad has learned a big lesson after his sleeping son was taken during a car theft in Lower Hutt last night.
Shane Baxter left his car running for less than a minute while he stopped at a Hutt Rd house to pick up a friend about 8pm.
In that time, the Subaru Impreza was stolen with a sleeping Alan Baxter, three, in the back seat.
Mr Baxter said he gave his son a "massive" hug after a frantic three-hour search of the Hutt Valley turned up the car and Alan, still sleeping, in nearby Stanford Grove, Naenae, about 10.45pm.
Lower Hutt police sergeant Bruce Mackay told NZPA every available unit and officer was used in the search, with up to 40 police cars scouring the area.
A local who had seen media reports spotted the car about and called police.
Mr Baxter said Alan was pretty quiet when found last night and hadn't realised what had happened.
"I'm just so thankful to get him back," he told the Dominion Post.
"I was so scared and I am never going to let him out of my sight again."
Police are this morning no closer to finding the car thief.
Mr Mackay said the theft may have been the work of an opportunist who probably did not realise Alan was in the back seat.
A forensic examination of the car will be conducted over the weekend.
- NZPA
