A 21-month-old girl was reported kidnapped from her family's parked SUV outside an East Oakland mini-market Wednesday, prompting an intensive search for a woman who witnesses told police led the toddler down the street, authorities said.

Dozens of police officers from Oakland and other agencies and FBI agents, some with German shepherds, went door to door in the neighborhood around 79th Avenue and International Boulevard looking for Daphne Viola Webb after her father reported her abduction at 11 a.m.

Police later said they wanted anyone who had seen the father within the past 30 days to contact them, calling it part of a "wide focus" on the case. They said he was not a suspect.

The father, John Webb, told police he had ducked into Gazzali's Supermarket at 7838 International Blvd. to buy an energy drink, leaving his daughter with an adult relative in his Ford Explorer, said Officer Johnna Watson, a police spokeswoman.

When he came out of the store, he said, the girl was gone.

Police said the relative who was with Daphne was disabled, but gave no details. Witnesses described her as an older woman.

The father said he had not seen the kidnapper, but people in the area soon reported seeing a woman carrying Daphne in her arms down the sidewalk, Watson said.

Police said the woman was described as a Latina or light-skinned black woman in her 30s, with very long black hair. She was wearing a light-colored top and blue jeans, police said.

Daphne is black, with short, curly black hair and brown eyes. She was wearing clothing similar to orange pajamas with pink hearts, and pink socks.

About three hours after police issued an Amber Alert, Watson gave an evening briefing at which she said police wanted anyone who had seen Webb, 49, or his daughter within the past 30 days to contact them.

She said investigators still considered the case to be a kidnapping, and said of Webb, "We are not calling him a suspect."

Watson said the need to "keep an open mind to everything that occurred" prompted the unusual public request.

"We want to be cautious, careful and very thorough," Watson said. "We need to have a very wide focus."

She added that police had interviewed Webb and Daphne's mother, who does not live with him, along with other family members. She described them as "extremely cooperative."

Police continue to look for the woman whom neighbors reported seeing leading Daphne away, Watson said.

Acquaintances said Webb lived with Daphne and his mother, who is in her mid-80s.

"I hate that this has happened to them; they are just a great family," said Bill Owens, the owner of a martial arts studio who lived near Webb until the family moved to the Oak Knoll neighborhood a few months ago. "He was just an all-out great guy. He was always trying to do good for people."

Daniel Chavez, a clerk at the mini-market, said Webb was a regular at the store. On Wednesday, Chavez said, "he was here maybe one, two minutes. And then this happened."

Oakland police asked anyone who sees Daphne or has other information about the case to call them at (510) 238-3641.