Newark police are hoping the public can help identify a man wanted for stealing an idling car that had a child inside.

The child is now safe, but police say that the incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Monday on the 100 block of Ferry Street.

Police say the mother was unloading groceries and left her 2-year-old child sleeping in the car. They say that the thief was watching the mother leave the car and took it while her back was turned. The theft was caught on surveillance video.

The car was found about a block away parked in front of a Santander Bank. The child was still inside the car, but the thief was gone.

The thief is described as a white man who is about 20 years old. He seems to be about 6 feet tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He was wearing a red and white hat, a red, white and blue soccer jersey with “Racco” written on the front and back in white letters, black and white Adidas track pants and blue and white Nike sneakers.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose says that Newark residents should never leave children unattended in cars and should not leave their cars idling.

“Too often individuals needlessly engage in behavior which increases the likelihood that they will become a crime victim,” he said in a statement.

Ambrose says that about 32 percent of cars stolen in Newark this year were left running.

Anyone who recognizes the thief is asked to call the Newark Crime Stoppers at 877-695-8477.