A mother went through a harrowing moment when her 9-year-old daughter was kidnapped by a car thief while she had briefly stepped out to ask for directions.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the incident occurred around 6:40 PM in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The mother and daughter were on their way back to Penang Island when they got lost, prompting the mother to step out of the car briefly to ask for directions.

Unbeknownst to her, a man seized the opportunity, jumped into her car, and fled the scene. It is understood that the child was still in the car when the thief drove off.

Thankfully, she was found unharmed near an apartment complex in Kampung Jawa, where a security guard discovered her and contacted her family.

“Maybe he only wanted to steal the car, or maybe he thought of abducting my sister. But she kept crying and making noise, so he abandoned her at the side of the road. My sister then borrowed a security guard’s phone to call my father to pick her up. She's fine now, but she may still be traumatized,” said the sibling of the kidnapped girl.

Car recovered, suspect arrested

The car has since been recovered, and a suspect has been arrested.

Yesterday morning, it was reported that the stolen vehicle was found abandoned about 20km from the location of the theft. It is believed the vehicle was left behind after it ran out of fuel.

Image Credit: Sin Chew Daily

Police also managed to arrest a man in his 50s who arrived at the scene with two 500ml fuel containers. When questioned, he claimed that a female friend had instructed him to buy petrol for the car and even showed officers the vehicle’s key.

However, he was immediately detained after failing to produce any identification documents.

Featured Image Credit: Scientific America, Sin Chew Daily