Police fear Pokemon Go perverts will use craze to lure children

PERVERTS could use the cult Pokemon Go game to lure kids into parks, buildings and public toilets, police warned yesterday as they urged parents to supervise their children.

PERVERTS could use the cult Pokemon Go game to lure kids into parks, buildings and public toilets, police warned yesterday as they urged parents to supervise their children.

Detective Inspector Michael Haddow, of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, said parents must keep an eye on kids hunting virtual-reality Pokemon characters in public places due to the danger posed by adult predators.

“People will take opportunities,”’ he told The Telegraph.

“Children should only go with friends, and make sure their parents are nearby.”

Police say it’s “only a matter of time’’ before paedophiles targeted young Pokemon Go players.

Queensland Police Detective Inspector Jon Rouse said it was “only a matter of time’’ before paedophiles targeted young Pokemon Go players.

“It could be used the wrong way by people who have a sexual interest in children. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that someone could set up a lure on Pokemon Go just to watch who turns up,” he said.

The National Children’s e-Safety Commissioner yesterday revealed young girls were the victims in 92 per cent of online abuse cases investigated last year.

Acting Commissioner Andree Wright said adults were posing as children online to trick or blackmail young girls to send naked photos. She said nearly one in five teenagers had been approached by a stranger online.

The Pokemon Go craze has taken off in Sydney.

“There’s an increasing trend of young girls being groomed to provide an intimate photo to someone online,’’ she said.

Ms Wright said babies had been sexually molested in 6 per cent of the images her office had managed to remove from the internet.

She warned parents paedophiles were collecting images of children dressed up at dance recitals or wearing swimming gear, which parents had “innocently’’ posted on social media sites for friends and family.

“Parents don’t realise everyone can see them,’’ she said.

“Images are harvested and placed on other websites, often for commercial purposes.

“It’s like coming home to find a stranger looking through the family photo album.’’