Alleged Quebec thief returns car with five-year-old boy in the back

LONGUEUIL, Que. – This would-be car thief ended up with a lot more than he bargained for — a five-year-old sitting in the back seat.

Police south of Montreal say every parent’s worst nightmare played out today when a woman briefly entered a gas station convenience store and came out to see the vehicle pulling away.

The man who made off with the car then noted the boy’s presence in the back seat and returned the vehicle to the station before fleeing on foot.

Longueil police Const. Tommy Lacroix says the suspect was caught with the help of descriptions from the boy and other people.

Police say the 47-year-old man could face theft-related charges, while the mother may face Highway Code infractions.

Lacroix adds the incident should serve as a reminder to parents to never leave their children in a vehicle and to never leave the doors unlocked.

Both the boy and the woman were shaken up but OK and the youngster was actually playing on a giant mound of snow when officers arrived at the scene.