Police step up patrols around schools after four attempted child abductions in Melbourne

Police want parents to talk to their kids about “stranger danger” as they ramp up patrols near schools across Melbourne’s suburbs, after four attempted child abductions by predators in white vans.

Police are urging parents to talk to their children about “stranger danger”, as they step-up patrols near schools across Melbourne’s suburbs, after a spate of attempted abductions by potential predators driving white vans.

There have been four attempted child abductions in recent weeks, with the latest occurring in Boronia on Tuesday morning, where a 10-year-old boy on his way to school was reportedly approached by a man in a van.

It followed recent reports of similar incidents in Doncaster, Blackburn and Tullamarine.

Acting Superintendent Paul Cripps on Thursday said all the reports had involved white vans and a person “with a friendly approach to the children”, trying to entice them into their vehicle.

The father of the 10-year-old involved in the Boronia attempted abduction, on Thursday said his son was “shaken up” by the incident, and was set to be interviewed by police.

James told 3AW his son said the van driver pulled over and said “G’day mate, I’m a friend of your mother’s, she said I can give you a lift to school”, in an attempt to get his son into his vehicle.

Fortunately, his son left immediately and alerted his school to the incident, James said.

Police said while there were similarities in the children’s reports, there were also differences in the descriptions they had given, so at this stage four separate potential suspects were being hunted.

Acting Superintendent Cripps said parents needed to talk to their kids about what to look out for, and what to do, if they were approached by a stranger seeking to entice them into their vehicle.

Schools also had an important role to play in educating children about “stranger danger”, he said.

A computer-generated image of the man police want to speak to in relation to the Blackburn incident. Picture: Victoria Police

And patrols around schools in the areas where the incidents had occurred were being increased, Acting Superintendent Cripps said.

“This behaviour is very, very concerning for us,” he said, adding it was now a police priority.

He commended the children involved in the recent incidents on how they had responded to the threat.

“All the children involved in these incidents did the right thing,” he said.

“They didn’t get in the vehicles, they didn’t engage in conversation, they reported it immediately to their teachers or parents, who reported it to us, so we can investigate it.

“We’re encouraging parents to be alert but not alarmed.

“We ask our parents to talk to their children and tell them what to do in these situations.”

Hume Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating following an attempted child stealing in Tullamarine on Wednesday, 27 November. Picture: Victoria Police

While Tuesday’s attempted abduction in Boronia occurred at 8.30am, as the 10-year-old boy was on his way to school, an attempt the day before involving a 15-year-old girl in Saxon St, Doncaster, occurred about 9.30am.

Another teenage girl, aged 14, was approached by a white van on Spring St in Tullamarine about 5.45pm on November 27.

The first in the string of similar incidents happened just a few suburbs away from the latest one, on November 18 in Halley St in Blackburn, where a man reportedly tried to abduct an 11-year-old boy while he was walking home.

Any witnesses or anyone with information on any of the attempts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.