Baby threatened with broken glass during ‘absolutely shocking’ carjacking

A baby was threatened with broken glass during a vehicle hijacking in Belfast city center.

The ‘absolutely shocking’ incident happened in Donegall Place shortly before 4am today.

Police said a delivery driver stepped out of a white Vauxhall Agila, leaving his partner and her young baby in the back.

Two men then walked up to the vehicle before one jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off.

A PSNI spokesperson said: ‘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.’

After the mum and infant left the vehicle it was driven towards City Hall and onto Chichester Street.

It was later found in Upper Stanfield Street.

The police spokesperson added: ‘This was an absolutely shocking incident and an extremely distressing ordeal for the victims.

‘They have been left shaken, but thankfully otherwise uninjured.’

Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran Beattie described the incident as ‘disgraceful’.

He said that a taskforce will soon be established to address the rise of crime and anti-social behavior in Belfast city center.

He said: ‘I welcome cross-party support for this proposal by Sinn Fein in council.

‘The recent rise in crime in the city center is concerning.

‘We will continue working with others to address this and ensure our city center is safe and welcoming.’