Children were in a vehicle when it was stolen in Sylvan Lake on Thursday, local RCMP say.
They were found unhurt shortly after the vehicle was stolen around 4 p.m. in the Reynolds Road area.
Police say the thief abandoned the vehicle in an alleyway and ran away.
Officers and canine units could not find them.
Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area between 3:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
The thief is believed to be about 5’10” tall with a medium build. At the time, they were wearing a heavy dark-coloured jacket with a hood, a brown flat-brimmed baseball hat, blue jeans, and white shoes.