A man has been arrested in the Brazilian city of São Paulo on suspicion of stealing a car with a two-month-old baby inside it.

The baby boy's mother had briefly left him in the car, parked in front of an after-school children’s activity centre, while collecting her seven-year-old daughter on Thursday.

CCTV footage shows the mother stepping out of the car and standing in front of it as her daughter walks out of the centre doors. Seconds later, a man gets into the driver’s side and speeds away, taking the baby with him.

The baby was rescued by the police unharmed around 2.7km (1.6 miles) from the centre, while the man was arrested.

Police said it alerted all nearby patrol vehicles after receiving the mother’s call, with officers locating the car on a busy road a while later.

Once he noticed he was being followed by the police, the suspect tried to drive away but couldn’t get far because of traffic, police said.

He then got out of the car, leaving the baby inside, and tried to get away on foot, but slipped and fell as the ground had been drenched by rain that morning.

Police added that he still tried to get away, but was stopped by members of the public who held him down until officers cuffed him.

Both the baby and the suspect were taken to hospital, with the child returned to his mother unharmed. The man suffered some injuries but was later taken into custody.

Videos shared on social media showed several members of the public running after the car, including the mother and her young daughter, seconds after the theft.

Speaking to local media, the mother thanked the public and police for their help.

Maria Samara said she usually stepped out of the car to help her daughter lift her school bag into the car as it is too heavy for her to do it on her own.

“I do this every day. But today, unfortunately, there was someone who shouldn’t have been there at that moment.

“Before I even turned my back to the car, he got in, and took my son with him,” she told Brazilian news site G1, visibly emotional.

Holding her baby son in her arms, she added that both her children are safe.

Police said the car had been returned to its owner. (BBC)