Thief leaves car warm for toddler

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- St. Louis police say a thief who stole a car with a toddler inside left the car running and the heat on when he abandoned the vehicle.

The 2-year-old boy was found safe, asleep and warm inside the car about 20 minutes after it was stolen, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday.

Witnesses said the thief drove off with the car Monday when the boy's father left it running to go inside a restaurant to pick up a food order.

The outside temperature was 22 degrees with a windchill of 8 degrees, the Post-Dispatch reported.

As a precaution, the boy was examined at a local hospital. The car thief remains at large.