Thief steals ute with sleeping child

A thief got more than he bargained when he stole a Toyota ute this afternoon - a sleeping four-year-old child.

The offender took the ute from Tirau before dumping it 5km away in Putaruru where the child was found unharmed.

"Obviously the offender has taken the vehicle, looked in the back of the ute, said `oh dear', and dropped it off in a street in Putaruru," Senior Sergeant Gary Barber told NZPA.

He said police were now searching the area for the man who took the vehicle.

"What can we say? Good result, everyone's happy. If we catch the offender, it'll be a bonus."

- NZPA