A thief stole a bag from a car with a baby inside while her mother was just yards away.

Jwan Surani, 20, had her handbag snatched from the Vauxhall Astra parked on the driveway of her parents’ home in Endlebury Road, Chingford, on February 2. 

She was packing up her car to go and visit a friend and her seven-month old daughter Melek was strapped in the car seat when the thief struck. 

Miss Surani, said: "My bag was hidden underneath the passenger seat and the engine was running.

"I was running back and forth from the house to the car. 

"I noticed someone suspicious walking up and down - his eyes were on me." 

Miss Surani of Bushwood Road, Leytonstone, said she left Melek "for no more than 10 seconds".

But the mother-of-one soon realised her bag was missing when she arrived at her friend's house in Islington and it was no longer under the seat.  

Adding: "He must have opened my passenger door, crawled in, and taken my handbag while my baby was sitting in the back.

"My parents have lived here for 10 years and it is such a safe road. 

"I never expected this to happen. 

"He is obviously someone who is trying to make quick money or is desperate because of a drug, gambling or alcohol addiction.

"I feel really violated. If he can come onto my driveway, what else would he have been willing to do?"

She returned to her parents’ home and phoned the police, who discovered a glove mark but no fingerprints.

Her Paul's Boutique handbag which contained one-off photos of Melek as a newborn in her purse, was stolen along with bank cards, cash, baby clothes, jewellery and shopping vouchers. 

The thief is described as dark-skinned, around six ft tall, of medium build and was wearing a grey and white hoodie. 

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.