Possible abduction bid probed by Sussex Police (From The Argus)

Possible abduction bid at Shoreham school probed by police

1:50pm Thursday 21st March 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

A man attempted to lure a nine-year-old girl into his car in the second stranger danger incident in two days outside a primary school.

Sussex Police is investigating the alleged attempt to abduct the primary school pupil on her walk to school yesterday morning (March 20).

The attempt comes just a day after two ten-year-olds told their teacher they had been followed into school by a man.

The girl was riding her scooter to Shoreham Beach Primary School at about 8.30am yesterday when a man in a small silver car pulled up next to her and asked if she would like a lift to school.

She said “no” and the man drove off leaving the girl to continue her journey to school where she reported the incident to her teacher.

The girl told her teachers she was somewhere in the Ferry Road, Old Fort Road, Shingle Road or Harbour Road area of Shoreham Beach at the time but cannot remember exactly where.

The incident came just 24 hours after two 10-year-olds reported a man walking behind them while on their way to school on Tuesday at around 8.30am.

Followed

The boy and the girl told teachers the man was following them between the parade of shops on Upper Shoreham Road and the Tesco Express.

The man did not attempt to speak or engage with them in anyway.

Sergeant Jo Webb, of Adur and Worthing Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “In the first report on Tuesday, the man did not engage with the children at all and was a distance behind them.

“The children had recently received a lesson on personal safety at school and they became concerned.

“In the second report on Wednesday, it is not known what the driver’s intentions were and there is nothing to suggest the driver was attempting anything suspicious.”

Safety advice

Sgt Webb said the children did the right thing in reporting their concerns and asked children and parents not to be alarmed by these reports.

She said no offences have been identified and the two reports are not currently being linked.

She added: “All parents should encourage their children to follow personal safety advice: never talk to or go with a stranger, even if the person tells your child that you have given your permission, and never accept gifts or sweets from a stranger.”

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