The theft of a vehicle with a nine-month-old baby in the backseat on Wednesday morning was likely a crime of opportunity, rather than a plot to abduct the child, police said.

The boy was in the backseat of a Honda CRV when it was stolen from a gas station on Rexwood Road in Malton, Ont., near Derry Road and Highway 427, just north of Mississauga, Ont.

The theft was reported at approximately 9 a.m., when the owner of the vehicle went into the gas station to pay, leaving the baby and her keys in her vehicle. The woman told police she'd only left the car for 20 to 30 seconds when she saw it being driven away.

Dozens of police officers swarmed the area, as media and police helicopters searched by air.

The silver-coloured CRV was found about 40 minutes after it was reported missing, near an apartment building west of the gas station. The baby and the vehicle appeared to have been abandoned.

The baby was examined by paramedics, who sent out a message on Twitter saying the young boy had no injuries and was alert.

Const. Lilly Fitzpatrick says it appears the suspect did not intend to abduct the child.

"The vehicle was there. Somebody jumped in the vehicle, and obviously as soon as they found that there was a child in that vehicle, they abandoned the vehicle in the driveway," she told reporters.

She said the mother is "emotionally distraught" and "traumatized" over the incident.

"She got her baby back safe and sound, but it’s still traumatizing," Fitzpatrick said.

She told CTV Toronto that authorities have no intention of charging the mother.

"Something like that could happen to anyone."

Investigators say they are looking for a male suspect who was wearing a grey hoodie at the time of the incident.