AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a car was hijacked with a child in the back seat at Dublin's Phoenix Park.
A grey Nissan Qashqai was leaving the park at around 11.15pm last night when it was approached by a man armed with a knife.
The knife-man threatened a man and woman sat in the front of the vehicle and pulled them from it.
He then drove off with a one-year-old child in the back seat of the SUV.
The suspect stopped the car a short distance away and ordered the couple to take the child out of the car.
The man fled from the scene in the vehicle after the child was brought to safety.
The car, with a '181 WX' registration, has not been recovered.
In a statement, a Garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí at Kevin St, Dublin 8 are investigating an incident which occurred at Conyngham Road, Islandbridge at approximately 11.15pm last night.
"A SUV vehicle was exiting the Phoenix Park when a male approached the vehicle and threatened the driver and passenger, male and female. Suspect was armed with a knife.
"Both male and female were pulled from the vehicle, no injuries sustained. Suspect then drove SUV from scene with a one-year old child in the back seat, vehicle stopped and suspect ordered injured parties to take child from vehicle.
"No direction of travel. The SUV is still listed as stolen."
Detectives at Kevin Street Garda Station are investigating the incident.
