Stolen car with child in it located

A mother had a scare this morning when she found her car had been taken with her three-year-old child inside.

The green Honda saloon was allegedly taken by a woman fleeing after shoplifting at a Christchurch mall, while the mother was in a shop.

Police immediately began a full-scale search for the car, and it was located about 10 minutes later when the woman dumped the car and asked two people she knew to take it back where it came from.

"Because she knew she had the child in the car and was probably going to be in a bit of strife," Sergeant Richard Ryan told the Herald.

It turned out the woman sought by police knew the car owner, though not well, Mr Ryan said.

The child was "a bit frightened, but she's absolutely fine".

The mother, who did not want to make a complaint about the taking of the car, was a bit "freaked out", and "more than stoked" when her child was returned to her.

Police were today seeking a 39-year-old woman in relation to theft and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

Police had decided not to pursue a kidnapping charge, Mr Ryan said.