'Crime spree' carjack thug dumped nine-month old baby girl FACE DOWN on side of road as terrified family chased him | The Sun
A MUM gave chase when a thief stole a car from outside her house — with her nine-month-old girl inside it, we can reveal.
Gardai arrested a man after he was spotted driving the swiped Skoda Octavia in Dublin’s Finglas in the early hours of yesterday morning.
He was initially lifted because there was a warrant out for his arrest on another matter and was bailed — then immediately arrested on suspicion of hijacking.
He’s accused of jumping into the motor on Saint Attracta’s Road in Cabra, Dublin, on Sunday evening.
It was nicked after a couple popped back into their house and left the engine running with their two children in the back.
A screaming nine-year-old boy ran from the Skoda Octavia, but the robber sped off down the road with the baby in a car seat.
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Man, 40s, arrested after car with nine-month-old baby inside hijacked in Dublin
The Irish Sun has learned that when the thug realised the infant was there he took the baby from the back of the car and placed her face down on the footpath on nearby Faussagh Avenue.
She was rescued by three passing girls.
He told the Irish Sun: “This all happened on Sunday evening and we’ve heard nothing much from the gardai since.
“The young lad was terrified, he ran screaming from the car so it affected him a lot.
“But the car drove off back down Saint Attracta’s Road and around towards Faussagh Road.
"We chased him all down the road but couldn’t get to him.
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The kids’ grandad yesterday told how their mum jumped into a passing learner driver’s car and they gave chase after the carjacking.
He told The Irish Sun: “The young lad was terrified, he ran screaming from the car so it affected him a lot.
“But the car drove off back down Saint Attracta Road and around towards Faussagh Road. We chased him all down the road.
“My daughter was frantic and stopped a learner car to ask him to go after the car but they lost him. The baby was then taken from the car and placed face down on the footpath. Who would do something like that?
“Of course she’s so young so doesn’t know what’s been going on.
“But the young lad took it bad. He was crying a lot, poor lad. Mum and Dad and everyone else is OK though, just very shaken at the time.
“Your man was probably off his head at the time and just snatched the car when he saw the door open and engine running.”
After the baby was placed on the footpath at about 7pm on Sunday, three local girls picked the child up and phoned Gardai.
The child was then checked over by paramedics but had suffered no injuries and was then reunited with her parents.
Tommy Macken, who runs the Nearby Supermarket on Faussagh Road across from where the baby was dropped, said the gardai had been in to check their CCTV but they were unable to pick out anything on the other side of the road.
He said: “The shop was closed at the time but the gardai contacted me to see if they could view our CCTV but sadly it only picks up this square area in front of the shop so you can’t see across the road.
“The baby was cared for by some local girls until the gardai arrived. I know the couple, they’re always in and out.”
'IT'S SHOCKING'
He continued: “Their families have lived in the area for years so they’re well known and lovely people.
“But it’s shocking that something like this could happen in front of your own home.
“Thankfully everyone is OK and no one was injured but it must have been terrifying for the family.”
A neighbour of the family described the couple’s young boy as a “dream child” who “your heart would just go out to”.
It’s believed the man had been watching the family and was waiting for a moment to pounce.
The Irish Sun can reveal the hijacker is suspected of targeting two other vehicles during the week.
FALSE PLATES
On the first occasion, he failed in a bid to hijack a car before eventually stealing the couple’s stolen Oktavia.
One incident saw a blade put to the throat of a female driver who managed to flee with the keys.
After he was lifted, Gardai found an estimated €350,000 worth of cocaine at a house where he had been staying in Ballymun.
Cops made the discovery after neighbours reported a number of men storming into the house while he was in Garda custody.
The couple’s car was recovered in Finglas on Wednesday night.
We can also reveal that the vehicle had been fitted with false plates.
The man is currently being questioned by detectives at Mountjoy Garda station on suspicion of hijacking.
One source said: “It looks as if he was on a one-man crime spree.
“He will now be held and questioned on a series of incidents over the last few days.”
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