A man has been charged after allegedly abducting a baby boy during a car theft in Adelaide.

The four-month-old was in his mother’s Honda Jazz in the inner-city suburb of Klemzig when a 37-year-old man got in the vehicle and drove off about 7.45am on Monday, South Australian police say.

Officers found the child in his baby capsule inside the parked car in nearby Enfield about two hours later.

The baby was taken to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital for a health check. His mother, who had got out of the car just before it was stolen, was unharmed.

Police went to a home in the Adelaide CBD on Monday night and arrested a Parra Hills man.

He was charged with abducting a child and illegal use, and was refused bail to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Superintendent Matt Nairn said on Monday police were relieved to have found the baby and returned him safely to his mother.

“It would probably create the greatest amount of stress for any parent to see this happen and it is a reminder to any parent – be careful,” he said.

“We’re not apportioning any blame to mum. Mum has done her absolute best.”