This is the moment Florida cops arrest a man for kidnapping after stealing his female friend’s SUV with her frightened five-year-old daughter still in the backseat.

The incident was filmed in the city of Palm Coast in Flagler County in the US state of Florida on 8th September after the local police were called about a domestic disturbance at a Circle K petrol station on Palm Coast Parkway.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on 9th September: “The reporting party advised she was in a physical altercation with her childhood friend, identified as Andrew Allen (DOB: 7/22/1994), and he took off with her five-year-old daughter in her vehicle.”

The mother told the police that she was driving her Dodge Journey SUV with the suspect and her five-year-old daughter as passengers before the incident took place.

She explained that she exited the SUV when Allen went inside the petrol station and when he returned, he jumped in the driver’s seat and locked the doors with the young girl still inside.

The police said: “The mother asked Allen to unlock the vehicle repeatedly and he refused and drove to the other side of the gas station parking lot.

“The mother approached the vehicle when it stopped and asked Allen to unlock the doors. Allen finally unlocked the doors and the reporting party grabbed her purse and belongings, and Allen exited the vehicle, shoved the victim, and she fell to the ground.

“Allen then jumped back in the vehicle and fled onto Belle Terre Parkway. The child was still in the back seat.”

Under questioning, the woman said she had been friends with Allen since they were young, and that she did not give the suspect permission to take her vehicle or her child.

The police carried out a traffic stop at the intersection of US-1 and Commerce Boulevard, and Allen was arrested without further incident.

Meanwhile, the young girl was recovered by the police and found to be unharmed.

Police spokesman Rick Staly said: “This was great work by our deputies who acted quickly to recover the child and vehicle safely.

“A situation like this is very time-sensitive and required great teamwork to make sure no one was hurt. Of all the bad decisions Allen made, at least he made one good choice and did not try to flee.”

Allen, who has been charged with kidnapping, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and simple battery, is currently being held in police custody without bond.