Man asked mum ‘How much for your son?’ before attempt kidnap

A mum and dad have been left in shock after a stranger tried to grab their four-year-old son from a shopping centre carpark, with the alleged kidnapper asking the mum “How much for your son?”. They speak exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph about the terrifying ordeal.

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They were words that struck terror into a mother from a stranger who tried to snatch her four-year-old: “How much for your son?”

They were spoken to Aimee, 34, as she was walking her son, Cruze, through the carpark of Richmond Market Place to do some shopping just after midday on Friday.

Aimee’s husband Daniel, who declined to give his surname, said his wife was acting on instinct when she thwarted the attempt of the man who is still on the run from police and was not able to be identified by CCTV cameras.

Daniel with his son Cruze, aged 4, who was nearly snatched by a stranger. Picture: James Gourley

“Aimee was holding Cruze’s hand as they walked through the carpark and let go so she could do up the zipper on her jumper,” Daniel said.

At that moment, the man approached mother and child from the front.

“He said how much for your son,” Daniel said.

“Aimee was taken aback and before she could register what was happening the man made a move to snatch Cruze.

“He said it a second time but more aggressive and went to grab him under the arms.

“My wife instinctively reacted and grabbed Cruze but only just got hold of him.

“She reefed him out the guy’s grasp and ran into a shop.”

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Aimee then alerted the shopping centre security and police are now searching for the alleged attacker described as being aged in his late 50s with a medium build, chubby face, grey-brown curly hair and dark round eyes with large lips.

The alleged attacker ran as Aimee grabbed Cruze.

“My wife looked at CCTV and you can only just see him,” Daniel said.

“He might have known where the cameras are because he didn’t go into view and there were no facial shots of him.”

The attempted kidnapping occurred in the carpark of the Richmond Market Place shopping centre.

The incident has left the parents rattled.

“I’m pretty angry to be honest,” Daniel said.

“I wished I had of been there. I would have done something. It’s hard to believe that this could happen at your local shops.

“Aimee was pretty shocked and shaken.”

A builder by trade, Daniel was working on Sydney’s North Shore when his wife called to tell him about the incident.

He had to leave work early to pick their other two sons, aged seven and nine, up from school.

“I’d say it was a bloke that’s got mental issues. I don’t think it was a kidnapping,” Daniel said.

“It sounds like he has mental problems based on what he said: ‘How much for your son’.”

Police from Hawkesbury Local Area Command are investigating and have urged anyone with information to come forward.

“Police take these reports extremely serious and we are working to identify who the person is and are conducting a full review of the shopping centre and CCTV,” Hawkesbury Chief Inspector Stuart Davis said.

Originally published as Man asked mum ‘How much for your son?’ before attempt kidnap