A baby boy has been reunited with his distraught mother after he was taken when her car was stolen from outside an Adelaide deli.
The four-month-old was missing for almost two and a half hours as South Australia Police desperately searched for him and the stolen car.
His mother's 2009 white Honda Jazz was stolen from outside a deli on Fourth Avenue, Klemzig in Adelaide about 7.45am while she was shopping inside.
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A man pulled up near the parked car in a Mazda ute, which had been stolen about 6.20am, before he got out of the ute and took off in the car, according to police.
A worker from the deli has told 9News that the baby's mother dropped her groceries on the floor and ran outside when she saw her car moving.
Superintendent Matt Nairn said he had seen images of the mother running to try to stop the man from stealing her car.
He said she was "very distraught" when resources arrived on scene.
Superintendent Nairn said every available police resource in metropolitan Adelaide had been deployed to search for the car and the child.
The car was found abandoned in Enfield about 10.09am with the child in the back seat.
"We can confirm the child is safe and well," Supt Nairn said.
Police are still searching for the car thief, who has been described as Caucasian, aged in his mid-20s and as having dark hair.
Supt Nairn said the car thief was potentially looking at kidnapping charges over the incident.
"To call it despicable is an understatement," he said.
He said there was not believed to be a relationship between the man and the mother and child.
Police released images of the man earlier this morning.
