COUNCILLORS in Poole have reacted to the “alarming” incident which happened on Friday, June 10 in which two men attempted to abduct a four-month-old baby.
Officers from Dorset Police received reports of an attempted child abduction in Evering Avenue at around 3pm.
A woman was walking with her four-month-old baby in a pushchair when she was approached by two men in a white van.
The men got out of the vehicle, grabbed the pushchair and attempted to remove the baby from it, a spokesperson for Dorset Police said.
The woman kicked out at one of the men and they got back into the van, leaving the baby unharmed.
Toby Johnson, Conservative councillor for Alderney and Bourne Valley, said: "Firstly, credit must go to the mother in this situation, for showing incredible bravery in a situation that nobody should ever be put in.
“Secondly, I must echo the call of the police to anyone who may have any information concerning the identities of these 'men'.
“Anyone who could even attempt something so ghastly does not belong on our streets.
“Lastly, I would urge all residents to be vigilant, but not to be scared.
“People as low as this are few and far between, and as shown by these two, are cowardly.
“I hope that the Police are able to find and apprehend them quickly."
The newly elected mayor for Poole Tony Trent, councillor for Alderney and Bourne Valley, said: “This is alarming.
“Unfortunately, it is something that can happen anytime and anywhere.
“I’m shocked an bewildered as to what the motive is. There must be a lot of CCTV around that will be useful.
“The visibility along Evering Avenue is good – it isn’t a place you can sneak in and out of. It’s quite a visible road so I would’ve thought there would be witnesses who got the number plate of the van.
“At 3pm I know the nearby school will be ending so I’d imagine there were lots of cars parked up along the road.”
Detective Inspector Katie Starkie, of Bournemouth CID, said: “This was understandably a very distressing incident for the mother involved and we have launched a full investigation.
“At the moment the motive for these men’s actions remains unclear and we are doing all we can to identify them.
Police urge any residents with home CCTV systems or doorbell cameras, as well as any motorists with dashcam who were in the area, to check their footage for anything that might assist with the investigation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel