A suspected car thief and possibly inadvertent kidnapper picked a good location to be arrested Wednesday: in front of the Public Defender's Office.

The male suspect, identified as Solomon Alemu, 33, of San Francisco, was arrested on suspicion of stealing a car in the Tenderloin that had a baby inside, Officer Albie Esparza said. The baby and vehicle were quickly recovered.

The incident began in the 100 block of Golden Gate Avenue about 10:41 a.m. when a man's dark blue Scion was stolen, Esparza said. Inside the vehicle was a 4-month-old female child.

The car was stopped at a stop light when someone kicked his car, Esparza said. It was at that moment the suspect jumped in the car and took off.

The father had been on the way to pick up his wife.

Officers on patrol in South of Market discovered the car illegally parked in the 500 block of Seventh Street outside the Public Defender's Office 10 minutes after it was reported stolen.

Alemu was reportedly inside the car, Esparza said. Neither the child nor the father were injured in the ordeal.

Alemu was booked into County Jail on stolen vehicle, kidnapping, child endangerment and probation violation charges, Esparza said.

Correction: Police originally had said the driver of the stolen vehicle was the mother of the child. It was actually the child's father.

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