Updated: NSW Police have now confirmed this incident was a ‘misunderstanding’.
There is however still a high level of incidence in Sydney and parents are reminded of the need for caution. The NSW Police Force announcement on this issue can be found below. At the bottom of the article please also find the Stranger Danger rules and remind all older children to be vigilant.
Original Article: There has been an attempted child abduction in Darling Harbour, Sydney.
This incident totals seven in the last two weeks.
The child 19-month old was playing on the equipment in Tumbalong Park at 12.45pm on Tuesday when a man tried to pick the toddler up. The father intercepted the situation and the child was placed to the ground, the offender leaving immediately with two other men.
Police have released CCTV image of the man describing him as being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance and aged 60-65 years.
This incident follows six other suspected abduction attempts across Sydney in the past two weeks:
- A man attempted to abduct a 15-month-old boy from the Macquarie Street Mall in Liverpool on May 25.
- A five-year-old girl was indecently approached and assaulted by a man in Glebe in Sydney’s inner west.
- On May 30, a three-year-old girl was targeted in a Leichhardt park when a man took her by the hand and guided her towards his car before her mother yelled out to stop him. This is the second attack in Leichhardt during May.
- There are also reports of children being approached in both Dural and Hornsby.
The alleged perpetrator in the cases in Glebe and Leichhardt was described as being of Indian appearance, was wearing similar clothes and these cases may be linked. All other incidents are currently believed to be isolated.
This is a reminder to all parents to keep a close eye on their tots and for older children to be updated on stranger danger procedures via the NSW Police Force:
NSW Police Urge Parents to Remind Children of Rules for Safe People, Safe Places.
■ Avoid walking on your own and instead walk with other family members, friends or an adult they know when going to and from school;
■ Walk near busier roads and streets, or use paths where there are lots of other people;
■ Make sure your parents or another adult you know knows where you are at all times;
■ Always walk straight home or to the place you are walking to;
■ Know where safe places are – a shop, service station, police station, library or school. If you are ever frightened, you should go to one of these places and ask them to call the police;
■ Learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help. Seek police officers, teachers at school, adults you know and trust;
■ Don’t talk to people you don’t know and never get into a car with someone you don’t know. If a car stops on the side of the road and you don’t know the person inside, do not stop; and
■ If you are scared and can use a phone, call 000 and tell them you are scared.
Credit: Sydney Morning Herald.
