This is the moment when a devoted father defies a group of armed criminals and rescues his young son from his car at gunpoint before the trio makes off with it.

A CCTV camera caught the tense incident as it unfolded in Campo Largo, Parana state, southern Brazil, on Saturday night (13th August).

The victim had left his Volkswagen Spacefox – apparently with the keys still in the ignition – outside a hole-in-the-wall drinks store while he was placing an order.

Footage shows how two men and a woman walking down the tarmac spot the unmanned car and one, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, pulls a handgun.

The crook can be seen pointing his weapon at the victim, but that does not stop the brave dad from risking his life to walk towards the vehicle and open the back door.

As the gunman apparently barks threats at him, still pointing the gun, the dad calmly unbuckles his young son and picks him off the backseat.

The three car thieves simultaneously bundle into the vehicle before driving off in it, leaving the father holding his son in his arms on the pavement.

There was no information in local media as to the identities of the people involved or if the car was recovered and the assailants caught.