A four-year-old girl was picked up by a stranger at a busy Westfield shopping centre in Sydney on Sunday night – before the girl’s mother found her in another store.

According to police, an unknown woman approached the girl at around 6:20 p.m. in a store in Westfield Eastgardens, picked her up and carried her into a second store.

The girl’s mother took her daughter back after finding her in the second store.

Police have released a photo of a woman they believe may assist in their investigation.

The woman is described as Pacific Islander/Maori with short black hair.

She wore a red headband, a black University of New South Wales jacket, black trousers and a colourful shoulder bag.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

Police have released a picture of a woman (pictured) who they believe could help with the investigation into a kidnapped child

Police said an unknown woman approached the girl at a store in Westfield Eastgardens (pictured) at around 6.20pm, then picked her up and carried her into a second store.