Police swoop on Pah Rd, Epsom house after baby kidnapping
An 11-day-old baby was kidnapped from a home in Epsom this morning.
A heavy police presence was seen at the Pah Rd house all day.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said police were told the baby had been kidnapped about 7am this morning and launched an investigation.
The baby was found safe and well and returned to her parents about 1.30pm.
Beard said a large team of police officers had been making inquiries all day.
"The baby's parents are obviously very distraught and have been through a terrible ordeal and they are currently with their baby," he said.
"This has been an extremely harrowing time for the new parents of a very young baby. We are relieved and thankful that the baby was not harmed and has been reunited with her parents."
Nearby resident Dane Bonnici said about six police cars and three or four unmarked ones were parked outside the house in Pah Rd, near Selwyn Rd, about 7.30am this morning.
There was police tape across the driveway and around the fence, he said.
About five marked police cars and two unmarked ones were still at the house when Bonnici drove past again about 1.30pm.
He said police officers were standing on the footpath outside the property and appeared to be guarding the house.
Bonnici also saw police in blue boiler suits on the property this afternoon.
It was usually a quiet area and to have so many police at one house was surprising, he said.
"I presume it's something fairly serious if they've got cops there all day," he said.
Staff at the nearby Elizabeth Retirement Home said they had received calls from neighbours asking what was going but they had not heard anything either.
A staff member said the house was taped off and police cars were parked outside the house when they arrived at work in the morning but no one knew what was happening.
Police have not yet responded to Herald questions.