Police are hunting a person of interest and speaking to another after an 8-week-old baby boy was abducted from his home as he slept, before being returned unharmed to the Hamilton police station less than an hour later.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Patterson of the Waikato CIB said while one person was helping police piece together the strange incident, another person was being sought for questioning.
It was not clear what their relationship was or if they knew the baby or his parents.
Mr Patterson said the baby boy was put to bed by his parents at a unit in Killarney Rd, Frankton about 12.40pm.
The young couple were watching TV when police believe someone entered the home and took the sleeping infant, though it's not yet clear how the person got inside.
When one of the parents went to check on the baby an hour later he was gone.
The couple called police at 1.20pm, and at 2.05pm a woman walked into the central city police station and handed over the baby.
Mr Patterson said the boy was medically examined and found to be unharmed and was returned to the shaken parents.
He could not say whether the woman who returned the child was related to the parents and would not say if the person assisting police with enquiries was a man or woman.
Mr Patterson said the incident would unnerve the community and had put the parents through a roller coaster of emotions.
"(The) parents were very distraught at finding their child missing. They were relieved when the child was returned to them. We've engaged Victim Support to help them through this time."
He called the abduction "unusual" and said any community would be worried.
"Fortunately there was a positive outcome in this one."
Mr Patterson said only the parents and baby lived at the address but the Herald was told a toddler also lived in the unit.
A neighbour who did not want to be named said dozens of people came and went from the property at all hours and there were often fights and parties there.
"There's nothing but trouble over at that house. They scare the hell out of me."
A scene examination of the house was continuing.
