Andergrove thief mistaken for a child abductor after an alarm was raised in a school car park

Police explain why Mackay parents raised the alarm over what they feared was a possible child abduction

A common thief was mistaken for a child abductor after trawling a car park outside an Andergrove primary school.

A police spokesman said a crew was called to MacKillop Catholic Primary School about 9.20am on Monday after a man allegedly approached a child waiting in the car.

He said parents initially raised concerns over the potential for a child abduction but police investigations established that was not the case.

After speaking with the child, police determined the man to be an opportunistic thief who was looking for unlocked vehicles in the parking lot to target and “potentially steal items”.

The spokesman said the man left in his vehicle after the child and a woman who was walking past the area at the time noticed him.

He said the man was described as being in his early 20s and police had not found him.

Originally published as Andergrove thief mistaken for a child abductor after an alarm was raised in a school car park