URGENT APPEAL FOR WITNESSES TO POSSIBLE CHILD ABDUCTION

'Child abducted in black VW van during rush hour' as police launch appeal for witnesses



LEXI FINNIGAN
25 AUGUST 2016 • 10:13PM


POLICE OFFICERS HAVE LAUNCHED AN URGENT APPEAL AFTER A YOUNG CHILD WAS REPORTEDLY FORCED INTO A VAN AND ABDUCTED DURING RUSH HOUR.

THE BOY, AGED AROUND SIX, WAS SEEN GETTING INTO A BLACK MODIFIED VAN IN REDHILL SURREY THIS AFTERNOON LEAVING HIS BIKE LYING ON THE PAVEMENT BEHIND.

THE BOY, AROUND FOUR FOOT TALL AND WEARING A RED T-SHIRT AND NAVY BLUE JEANS, WAS SEEN BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN REDSTONE HILL AROUND 4.45PM.

THE VW TRANSPORTER VAN THEN DROVE OFF AND THE BOY'S SMALL FRANTIC GIANT MOUNTAIN BIKE WAS LEFT BEHIND.

SURREY POLICE SAID: "OFFICERS ARE CONTINUING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A VISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE AREA.

"THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN ASSISTED BY THE NATIONAL POLICE AIR SERVICE.


SUPERINTENDENT BEX SMITH ADDED: "THIS IS AN INCIDENT WE ARE TAKING EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY AND ARE ASKING FOR ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHILD, THE VAN OR WHAT HAPPENED TO COME FORWARD.

"IF YOU WERE IN THE AREA, PERHAPS COMMUTING TO OR FROM REDHILL TRAIN STATION AT THE TIME PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH US IF YOU SAW ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS.


"AT THIS STAGE WE ARE NOT RULING OUT A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, INCLUDING WHETHER THE CHILD AND THE PERSON IN THE VAN KNOW EACH OTHER."

THE VAN WAS A BLACK, MODIFIED, VW TRANSPORTER WITH A 02 REGISTRATION PLATE.

IT HAD THREE BBS ALLOY WHEELS, WITH ONE FRONT NEARSIDE MISSING, NO REAR WINDOWS, NO SIGNWRITING BUT WITH CHROME SIDESTEPS AND A SLIDING SIDE DOOR.

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT SURREY POLICE AND QUOTE OPERATION BIGFOOT.

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN CONTACT THE INDEPENDENT CHARITY CRIMESTOPPERS ANONYMOUSLY BY CALLING 0800 555 111.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/25/child-abducted-in-black-vw-van-during-rush-hour-as-police-launch/

http://www.surrey.police.uk/news/witness-appeal-after-child-suspectedly-taken-into-black-vw-van-in-redhill/


Witness appeal after child suspectedly taken into black VW van in Redhill

25 Aug, 2016 20:36 News


A member of the public reported seeing the child taken into the van at 4.43pm today (Thursday August 25) in Redstone Hill.

The van then left the area. It is described as:

A black, modified, VW Transporter with a 02 registration plate.
It had three alloy wheels,, with one front nearside missing. Alloys were a BBS make.
No rear windows
No signwriting
Chrome sidesteps
Sliding side door
The child is described as:

White
Approximately 4ft tall and around 6 or 7 years-old
Wearing a red t-shirt and navy blue jeans.


A bike, believed to belong to the child was left at the scene. It is described as:

A small mountain bike
Frantic Giant make
Silver frame with black and yellow detail
Officers are continuing in their efforts to establish the circumstances of the incident and continue to have a visible presence in the area. They have also been assisted by the National Police Air Service.

Superintendent Bex Smith from


Surrey Police said: “This is an incident we are taking extremely seriously and are asking for anyone with any information regarding the child, the van or what happened to come forward.

“If you were in the area, perhaps commuting to or from Redhill train station at the time please get in touch with us if you saw anything suspicious.

“At this stage we are not ruling out a number of options, including whether the child and the person in the van know each other.”
Anyone with any information should contact Surrey Police by calling 999 in an emergency or 101, or report it online at www.surrey.police.uk and quote Operation Bigfoot.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.

Thanks, Max. This is a very odd business, and I hope the police get to the bottom of it.

hoping that the child is found safely, also returned safely to her home.

That's the puzzle, though, Pedro. No-one's reported a missing child.

My friends, this was taken from Sky News:

http://news.sky.com/story/police-launch-appeal-after-bike-boy-taken-into-van-10551967

Superintendent Chris Edwards, of Surrey Police, said although no one has reported a child missing matching the description given, officers had no reason to doubt the witness that reported the apparent abduction.

He conceded these were "very unusual circumstances", but the force would continue to treat the matter with the "utmost seriousness".

Supt Edwards told Sky News: "So far we have had no reports of missing children that match that description in that location and we have extended the parameters of that search to the region, and nationally.

"No forces have had reports of missing children consistent with that set of circumstances.

"We will continue to treat this investigation with the utmost seriousness until such time that we can establish the full circumstances of what happened."

He added: "I have got no reason to doubt the veracity of the witness's account at this stage."

The youngster was seen "tampering" with the chain of a silver and yellow mountain bike, which was left behind at the scene of the feared abduction, though police have said they cannot categorically link the bike to the child.

A very odd business.

I'll say it is odd......

Boy spotted 'being bundled into a black van' triggering huge search with helicopters and dozens of officers 'may simply have been being told off by a parent', police admit
Boy was seen leaving bike on pavement as he got into black van yesterday
Police found van near scene in Redhill on CCTV but have now ruled it out
Surrey Police calling probe Operation Bigfoot and looking for similar van
Police still received no missing child reports either locally or nationally
Investigating the chance it is related to custody battle between parents


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3761654/Boy-spotted-bundled-black-van-triggering-huge-search-helicopters-dozens-officers-simply-told-parent-police-admit.html#ixzz4IZwG3XSz
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

http://news.sky.com/story/man-arrested-over-surrey-child-abduction-claim-10556887

A man who claimed to have seen a young boy being abducted has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

He told police he had seen the child being taken into a black VW Transporter van in Redhill, Surrey, on Thursday afternoon, and a major investigation was launched.

But despite reviewing hours of CCTV footage, carrying out house-to-house inquiries and checking missing children databases, police found no evidence to back up his claim.

He has since been "re-interviewed at length" about his account, and subsequently arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: "Officers had no reason to disbelieve the account of the witness and had to act quickly in order to prevent what was suspected to be a risk to the life of a child.

"In the days since, officers have carried out an extensive and thorough investigation into this report which has not brought about any evidence to corroborate it."

The man has since been released on bail.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Pete Fulton said: "The risk to life and safeguarding children are our first priorities when presented with a report like this which is why we took the course of action we did.

"Time was of the essence, which is why we asked for help from the public and media to find out what happened as soon as we could.

"Reports of this nature are extremely rare and we are the sure the public understand that when information such as this is received we treat it extremely seriously and must do all we can to find out investigate what's happened.

"It is understandable this has caused a considerable amount of concern and confusion in the area which will last beyond just these few days."


What a complete, utter moron.

Was he on drugs or something?