Belfast terrifying carjacking as broken glass held at baby's head
The young baby was in the back seat of the vehicle with its mother at around 3.50am when two men walked up and one got into the driver’s seat and drove away with the woman and child still in the back
A criminal ‘held a piece of broken glass to a baby’s head’ during a carjacking Belfast city centre in the early hours of this morning.
The child was in the back seat of the vehicle with its mother when the father, who was driving, got out of the vehicle to make a delivery at around 3.50am.
Two men approached the car on foot, with one getting into the driver’s seat and driving away with the woman and child still in the back.
After driving a short distance the man the man turned and held what the woman believed to be a broken bottle or piece of broken glass to the young baby's head.
As he threatened the child he told the woman to exit the car and when she and the baby were out, he drove away. The vehicle was later found abandoned on a nearby residential street, about a mile by road from the scene of the carjacking.
Police described the incident as "absolutely shocking" and "extremely distressing." They have issued an appeal for information and witnesses, Belfast Live reports.
Detective Sergeant McVeagh said: “It was reported that a delivery driver had exited his vehicle, a white Vauxhall Agila, in the Donegall Place area at around 3.50am, leaving his partner and her young baby in the rear.
"Two men approached the car on foot, before one got into the driver's seat and drove the vehicle away. The second man appeared to try to stop him, but was unsuccessful.
"A short distance away, close to Fountain Lane, the man turned and held what the woman believed to be a broken bottle or piece of broken glass to the head of the young baby and told her to get out of the car.
"When she and the baby did so, he drove towards City Hall and onto Chichester Street. The vehicle was later found in Upper Stanfield Street."
Detective Sergeant McVeagh continued: "This was an absolutely shocking incident, and an extremely distressing ordeal for the victims. They have been left shaken, but thankfully otherwise uninjured. Our enquiries are ongoing.”