The incident occurred in Dublin yesterday afternoon

At approximately 1.50 pm on Monday, Gardaí received a report of a Silver Nissan Qashqai being stolen from Mountjoy Square West in Dublin 1.

A five-month-old baby girl was in the rear of the car when it was stolen.

The hijacker was not known to the infant or her family.

Gardaí immediately commenced searches in the North Inner City and an emergency alert was issued to all officers on patrol.

Shortly after 3 pm, a public alert for information on the vehicle was issued by An Garda Síochána and at 4 pm, a formal Child Rescue Ireland Alert was published.

A very short period later, the Nissan Qashqai was recovered on North Richmond Street in the North Inner City by Gardaí on patrol who were searching for the vehicle.

The CRI alert was stood down shortly after 4 pm after the baby girl was recovered safely.

That said, the suspect is still said to be at large, with Superintendent at the Garda Press Office Liam Geraghty (pictured) describing him in a media briefing on Monday evening as "a white middle-aged male wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap".

"Investigating Gardaí have established an incident room at Mountjoy Garda station currently searching for and harvesting CCTV in the area to assist us with our inquiries," Geraghty added.

"No person has been arrested at this time for this incident. Gardaí are appealing for any person who observed either the incident on Mountjoy Square West shortly before 2.00pm or the car being parked on North Richmond Street to contact investigating Gardaí.

"Gardaí are also appealing for any person in the Mountjoy Square Area and North Richmond Street area, particularly drivers who in that North Inner City area would have any dashcam or other mobile phone footage, to contact investigating Gardaí at Mounjoy Garda station at 016668600."

In a statement to JOE on Tuesday morning, a Garda spokesperson said about the case: "Investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been made to date."

READ MORE:

• Experts predict timeline for decline in house prices in Ireland
• Major garda alert after car stolen with baby girl inside in Dublin
• Tourist fighting for life after trying to jump into pool from balcony