Child abduction attempts remain unsolved as kids return to school

Four terrifying attempted abductions on Melbourne streets in the final weeks of term four remain unsolved as more than a million children return to the classroom this week.

A series of child abduction attempts remain unsolved as nervous parents return their kids to school for the year.

Men in white vans who tried to take four children aged 10-15 from the streets of Melbourne in separate terrifying incidents in the final weeks of term four remain at large despite police efforts to locate them.

Police have stressed they are hunting four individual suspects with no connection to each other.

With more than a million children returning to the classroom this week, Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy encouraged students to be self aware and have strategies in place in case of danger.

“(Parents Victoria) would like to remind everyone it takes a village to raise a child,” Ms McHardy said.

“Recent events have demonstrated impacted students did act and report immediately to their parents and school, which is credit to them (and enables) Victoria Police to do their job.”

Police are still hunting for the suspects involved in attempted child abductions. Picture: Supplied

Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention Cindy McLeish said “knowing that the perpetrators are still roaming the streets” is a key concern for parents as the school year starts.

“It is every parent’s nightmare to think their child could be abducted and vanish,” she said.

“Children are so vulnerable and their safety getting to and from school should not be negotiable.”

Four men are wanted over the reported incidents which took place in Blackburn, Boronia, Doncaster and Tullamarine over the course of just 15 days beginning in mid-November last year.

Each of the men targeted lone children, pulling their vans up beside them and attempting to entice them inside as they walked along streets near schools.

Two of the suspects tried to trick children – boys aged 10 and 11 – that they were sent by their mothers to collect and bring them home.

The suspects range from caucasian to Middle Eastern in appearance and police are certain they are not associated with each other.

Child abduction reports reached a five-year high in Victoria last year, new police figures reveal.

The Crime Statistics Agency recorded 53 child abduction victims in the 12 months to September 2024 – only six of whom were linked to family violence conflicts such as a child being taken by a parent amid a custody dispute.

However police say random child abductions are “extremely rare”, with youth-on-youth standovers and brief encounters where children are grabbed by strangers but not taken accounting for many of the incidents.

Police are encouraging parents to have conversations with their children about being cautious. Picture: Istock

“Random child abductions are extremely rare in Victoria, and when reported, a quarter end up being withdrawn or no offence being detected,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.

“However, when reported, detectives thoroughly investigate given the frightening nature of this crime.

“A common theme in reported non-family violence abductions is that the child wasn’t taken, but rather approached by another person. In about 20 per cent of cases, that person is known to the child.”

An analysis of recent child abduction reports found many involved members of warring youth gangs or underage criminals.

“Children known to police are over-represented in those who report abductions to police, with about a third having been charged with offences such as robbery, car theft, aggravated burglary, and assault,” the spokesman said.

“We also know that of offenders charged with abducting a child, almost three quarters of them are children or youths themselves.”

Despite the rarity of random child abductions, some students feel on edge.

Last month two schoolgirls mistakenly thought they were going to be victims of an abduction attempt by a man in a white van.

A police report was filed with investigators finding the girls had encountered a delivery van.

The principal from the northeastern primary school at the time encouraged parents to have a conversation with their children about maintaining vigilance when “out and about”.

Ms McHardy reminded parents to educate their children on being cautious and sensible when travelling to and from school.

“Encouraging caution and being sensible is far more effective than making children fearful and frightened,” she said.

Originally published as Child abduction attempts remain unsolved as kids return to school