Parents warned of attempted child abduction by text

Parents of Brimpton Primary School pupils sent text, but council nor police were aware of an attempted incident

A TEXT message warning of an attempted child abduction in Woolhampton has reportedly been sent out to parents of pupils at Brimpton Primary School.

Parents said that they were sent the text about an alleged incident, believed to have occurred at 5.30pm on Monday evening, involving two teenagers or adults in a blue Ford Fiesta.

However, yesterday (Wednesday) Brimpton Primary was unable to confirm whether the message had been sent to all parents or where the information had come from.

Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Lucy Billen said that they were not aware of an incident in Woolhampton, although they are appealing for witnesses to a similar incident in Burghfield Common last Wednesday.

West Berkshire Council said that it, too, was unaware of any attempted abduction in Woolhampton.

Council spokesman Keith Ulyatt said yesterday (Wednesday) that if there had been an incident then the council had a procedure for dealing with it. However, he could not confirm whether or not the council had been informed of an attempted abduction in Woolhampton or whether the school had sent out a text message to parents.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident in Burghfield Common, seven miles from Woolhampton, in which a 12-year-old reported that a man tried to lure him into his car.

The incident happened in the Clay Hill Road area, at about, 4.50pm. The boy said that the man had tried to talk to him and asked him to get into the car, but did not get out of his car or attempt to force him into the vehicle.

Deputy West Berkshire local police area commander, Chief Insp Lindsey Finch, said: “We are investigating this and would welcome any information that the public may have.

“Incidents of this kind are thankfully rare, and the man did not get out of the vehicle or make any physical attempt to force the boy into the car. I understand that there will naturally be concern in the local community about what occurred yesterday, and our local neighbourhood officers will be in the area today to provide extra reassurance, particularly around the local schools.”

She added that schools had been notified, and that police were keen to trace a silver car seen in the area, being driven by a man in his late-20s to early-30s who was acting suspiciously.

Anyone with any information is asked to telephone police on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.