Attempted Abduction on a child?

Question

Ok so we are at the Easter Show in Home Bush Sydney Australia and my small daughter is lagging behind. So I turn around and I see my daughter and I see this fellow - he is about 6 foot 2, long gaunt face, mousey brown hair that is collar length, very thin build, wearing a dark green jumper and a white shirt underneath . He is behind my daughter and is really close. He is like leaning over her looking down at her and his hand are by his side. I yell her name and the guy looks up at me - directly at me and for a split second we are staring at each other and he looks startled and looks like he is making a decision and then he bolts left towards a pavillion.

I ran and told my partner but he only saw the back of him he kept looking back.

I told the police and crime stoppers - in Sydney there have been 16 attempted abductions in the last month. What do you think?

Answer 1

Scary as all h**l. I would have her hold your hand in public places.

Answer 2

An innocent man wouldn't get scared and run off. I think he was up to no good.

Answer 3

I say go with your gut feeling.  Buy a strap for your daughter or children that goes around their wrist and yours so that you know where they are at all times.  You just never know and there are so many creeps and horrible people out there that will do terrible things to anyone, kids included.  You did the right thing reporting it to the police.  There have also been attempted child abductions on the Central Coast recently.  If he didn't have a guilty conscious he wouldn't have run.  

Thank goodness and thank God you looked back when you did.

Answer 4

You probably frightened some innocent man - skinny and collar length hair are not infallible signs of a child abductor, but you would do well to always keep hold of your child in a public place.

Answer 5

It does sound strange and creepy that he would run off like that.  It's good that you reported what happened.

Answer 6

Teach your daughter all about stranger danger, if a stranger approaches they are to scream out to everyone or if no-one is around, they are to run away and find the nearest adult.

So even if some guy did grab your daughter at the show, he would get a whole 5m before being tackled if your daughter was screaming STRANGER! HELP!!!

Also teach her never to go with a stranger for ANY reason (as they can be convincing "my mum sent me to get you" etc)

and to be suspicious of anyone who is following her.

I know she is only 5 but even 3 is not too young to teach a kid this.

Also sometimes abductors will dress up as and pose as a police person or another official, tell your kid even if they have ID, they are not to accompany anyone without YOU or a responsible adult.

If I ever had a kid, it would be doing martial arts since the day it could walk... I'd feel alot safer knowing my kid knows how to beat the c**p outta people LOL...

Answer 7

I hope everything's alright now.

That sounds very scary but it will be hard to prove as he hasn't done anything... he could be one of the many weirdos that like to hang around people.

You SHOULD hold her hand in busy places ALL THE TIME. These abductors will still have the guts to act in public, especially to young children as they don't understand trouble.

That was a very informed decision to alert the authorities and hopefully, they will be able to track him down for questioning.