Bravery certificates for boys man tried to lure in Morwell

Two boys approached by a stranger who offered them candy before asking them to hop in his car in Morwell have been given bravery awards from their local police.

Police are hunting a man who approached two children playing on their front lawn with friends and offered them chocolate and candy before asking them to hop in his car just after 5pm in Morwell on Monday. Picture: Jack Colantuono

A Morwell mum will no longer allow her kids to play in the front yard, even with her watching, after a stranger allegedly tried to lure them into his car with lollies.

On Monday last week, just after 5pm, two children were on the front lawn of their Helen St home calling their friends to come inside when a man allegedly pulled over with “candy in his hand”.

Mum Brittany Ralston said she couldn’t believe what had happened.

“My reaction was like, ‘are you serious?’ — and I said, ‘where is he?’,” Ms Ralston said.

She said her 10-year-old son Bailey told her the man said, “if you guys want some candy, hop in the back of my car”.

Ms Ralston's 10-year-old son Bailey was excited to receive his bravery award from the Morwell police station. Picture: Supplied/Brittany Ralston

“And the kids have all shook their heads and said no,” Ms Ralston said.

“My oldest (Bailey) goes, ‘I’m going to tell my mum’ and then the man has driven off.

“I kind of army crawled and hid behind my trailer to see if he (the stranger) came back again, and he did.

“But this time — he came on foot — he walked along my premises and fence line, stood in the middle of the road, stared over at my house to see if I was watching — which I was — but he didn’t see that.”

Ms Ralton said she was shocked and petrified.

“It’s one thing to happen at the park or on the street — but out the front of our own house? It was a shock,” she said.

Six-year-old Lucas also received a bravery award. Picture: Supplied/Brittany Ralston

Ms Ralston said due to this incident, her kids were no longer allowed out on their front lawn.

“They weren’t allowed without me anyway — there’s not a chance in hell,” she said.

“My 10-year-old usually waits on my front door step at 3.30pm most days to get picked up by his pop — and I won’t allow that now, he has to wait inside.

“And it shouldn’t be like that — this is my home.”

Ms Ralston said her kids still wanted to go out and play at the park but she was “on edge”.

She said while her children were out with her partner, she constantly rang to check in on them and found it hard to relax.

“I would stop (calling) if I didn’t see him (the stranger) next door the day after it happened,” Ms Ralston said.

She added she couldn’t stop shaking and hoped the man would get arrested.

“We’ve gone out a few times and every silver car I see, I’ve been saying to the kids, ‘does it look like that?’ so now I’m probably making them a bit nervous,” Ms Ralston said.

The boys have now been given bravery certificates from their local police for doing the right thing and not responding to the man.

“That’s so good for my 10-year-old — he’s thriving off that and that kind of stuff does help children,” she said.

“My six-year-old (Lucas) is not really aware of predators in the streets but the award is showing him the way he stood back with his big brother — it really did help.

“They were only going to get their friends from out the front to come in and play — and look what happened.”

Police patrolled the streets of Morwell on Monday afternoon in search for the alleged predator.

A police spokesperson said the investigation remained ongoing.

Anyone with more information, witnessed the incident or has dashcam/CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000, submit a confidential report online or contact the Morwell police station on [phone].