Police reassure parents over child abduction rumours (From Northwich Guardian)

Police reassure parents over child abduction rumours

10:30am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Gina Bebbington

PARENTS are being reassured that there is not a spate of attempted child abductions in Northwich.

Northwich police have been forced to issue a statement in the light of rumours circulating on Facebook.

A worried mum-of-three went on the social media site to warn others that her two-year-old son was approached by a suspicious man behind Northwich Memorial Hall.

She said a man got out of a silver VW Polo, which appeared to wait for him, then crossed the road and appeared to walk to her children and beckon her two-year-old son.

She called for her son to come to her and said as he turned away the man tried to grab the toddler’s hand.

But Insp Paul Loughlin, from Northwich Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU), said: "There have been no instances reported to Cheshire Police of attempt child abductions.

“There have been reports of suspicious activity in the area involving Asian men in a people carrier, however on police investigation none of these reports included any criminal offences.

“I would like to confirm that in none of the reports to police have any children been approached, grabbed or anything untoward happened to them.

“If there have been any attempted child abductions we would expect the parents to contact Cheshire Police, not put a post on Facebook.

“If there have been genuine cases then we need to investigate them, but we can′t if we aren′t informed of the incidents by the parents.

“If it is a case of wild speculation based on rumours and gossip, we would urge whoever is responsible to think about the great distress currently being caused to parents in Northwich.”