A man accused of threatening a woman with a syringe as he tried to steal her car at a Melbourne shopping centre while her baby sat in the back seat has been charged by police.
Police said a man attacked the 38-year-old woman and her 16-month-old baby in a shopping centre carpark at Box Hill, in the city's east, about 10.30am (AEST) today.
The man allegedly brandished the syringe at the woman and attempted to push her out of her car while her young child was in the back.
Two local supermarket workers, one in his 20s and one in his 40s, were chasing the man after seeing him steal an 80-year-old woman's handbag in the carpark minutes earlier, and caught him as he was pulling the woman out of the car.
Police have praised the pair for holding the offender until they arrived.
Late today police charged Nick Koutivas with armed robbery and robbery over today's incident.
He has been remanded to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' court tomorrow morning.
He was remanded in custody to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' court tomorrow.
