In an apparent replay of the movie Tsotsi, a South Africa thief returned a baby he found in a car he had stolen.
Police contacted the man by calling a mobile phone stolen at the same time. The thief then delivered the child to an agreed place.
Tsotsi won South Africa its first Foreign Language Film Oscar and is about a young thug who finds himself in charge of a baby after stealing a car.
A policeman called the incident a "total simulation of the Tsotsi movie".
"I think this movie is playing an important role among criminals out there - maybe it encouraged him to have a soft heart," Inspector Paul Ramaloko told the BBC News website.
Phone
The theft took place when a woman in her 30s, identified in the local media as Olga Botha, left her car idling outside her Pretoria home while she opened the gate.
The unidentified man then drove off in the car, along with the baby and the woman's handbag, which contained her mobile phone.
"The police called the number - the man answered, and indicated he was waiting for the call," Inspector Ramaloko said.
"He indicated he didn't want the baby or the purse, only the car."
The thief duly dropped off the baby at a school building.
The man also said he would return the car later, as he only wanted to use it for the weekend.
By Tuesday morning, the police had not heard from him.
"We have intensified our efforts and are not relaxing," Inspector Ramaloko said.
"We are so happy the baby is back."
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