Police report child abduction attempt
Man possibly tried to lure eight-year-old into his vehicle with lollipop, say RCMP
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
RCMP is investigating a possible attempted abduction Friday afternoon of an eight-year-old boy.
According to a news release issued Monday afternoon, the Mounties responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle where a male offered candy to the boy. The vehicle was reported as either an SUV or a van, possibly a Nissan, red in colour. The vehicle was driven by a male who offered a lollipop to the child on the side of the road, near Taylor Road and Phinney Court, police stated.
The child knew to run home and report the incident to his parents, according to police. RCMP is asking parents to remind their children not to talk to strangers.
Some Yellowknife residents had already been alerted to the incident via social media. A woman posted on Facebook on Friday that her eight-year-old son was approached by a man in a vehicle offering candy in an attempt to lure him into his vehicle.
She described the man as aboriginal with a ponytail. She stated her son raced home and told her. He was very scared, she wrote. The woman reminded parents to continually warn children of "stranger danger."
Police have not confirmed the woman's description of the driver.
A neighbour, who lives nearby and asked not to be identified, said police have been around to ask him if he had seen anything suspicious or a suspicious vehicle. He said he told them he had not.
Anita Griffore, supervisor of student support services with Yellowknife Education District No. 1, said students were off school Friday when the incident was first reported, so it hadn't been discussed with them yet as of Monday afternoon. She expected it promptly would be though.
"We do regularly have safety talks and this is a good time to ask teachers to review that with them," she said. "Now that kids are probably coming (to school) by bicycle and are out walking more, we should remind the kids about 'stranger danger.'"
This particular incident may not require an all-out blitz in terms of informing students and parents, she said.
But we will be telling students about all the things they need to be aware of this time of year.
"If you are walking to school, walk with a friend. Never take a ride with strangers even if they have a cute puppy in their vehicle, that type of thing," said Griffore.
