A vehicle was stolen with children inside at Sylvan Lake

Local RCMP say there were children in a car stolen in Sylvan Lake on Thursday.

They were found safe and sound shortly after the vehicle was stolen around 4pm in the Reynolds Road area.

Police say the thief abandoned the car in a side street and fled.

Officers and dog units failed to find them.

Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area between 3:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

The thief is believed to be approximately 177 cm tall and has a medium build. At the time, he was wearing a heavy dark-colored jacket with a hood, a brown flat-brimmed baseball cap, blue jeans and white shoes.