A startled Serbian thief abandoned the car he had just stolen when he realized there was a sleeping child inside it, the daily Press reported on Friday.
The thief jumped into the apparently empty Citroen car, which had been left with its motor running in the capital Belgrade, and drove off. He must have realized that a boy was sleeping in the back seat just two kilometres away, hastily parked the car and fled, leaving the motor, heater and lights on, DPA reported.
Witnesses said that the man stopped the car with screeching tyres and literally ran from it.
The father, who had stepped out of the car for a quick errand, meanwhile alerted police, who found his car and child just minutes later, the report said.
The boy slept through the entire drama, while his father, 36, had to receive medical treatment, Press reported.