EL SCHOOLS ON KIDNAP ALERT AFTER REPORTS
Police warn community to be vigilant towards children at all times
Schools are playing it safe after a social media scare and two reported cases of attempted child snatching.
At least two East London primary schools, Cambridge and Selborne, issued statements cautioning parents to be extra vigilant when collecting their children at school.
East London parents have been shaken by the reports of alleged attempts to abduct children outside their schools.
Cambridge police confirmed they were investigating two cases of attempted kidnapping following reports of incidents that took place in Cambridge and Vincent on Monday and Wednesday.
Although the reports surfaced on social media this week, the Dispatch could find no further information or evidence of kidnappers attempting to snatch children.
East London police spokesperson Captain Nkosiko Mzuku on Thursday said no arrests had been made and investigations were continuing.
“We would like to urge the members of the community to be vigilant towards their children at all times,” said Mzuku.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, one of the parents who opened a case with the police, Teoda Marcus, claims a “well dressed and well spoken” man attempted to abduct her sixyear-old son outside his preschool in Vincent when she went to fetch him on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Marcus, she and her son were walking to the car when the man, who was walking past them, stopped and asked for directions.
“As I was speaking to him I put my son in the car. He said thank you and walked away. As soon as I went to my side of the car he went to the passenger side to open the door to get to my son. I ran to him but luckily the door was locked. When he realised he could not open the door he pushed past me and walked away quickly,” she said.
Marcus added that she did not normally lock the door once she had seated her son.
“I don’t know what made me do it this time.”
She said another mom parked behind her at the daycare had witnessed the attempt and called the police.
Marcus said she went to Cambridge police station to open a case and bumped into another parent who was also at the police station who said there was also an attempt to abduct her son at a Cambridge school.
“When she described the guy who attempted to abduct her son, it sounded like the same guy who attempted to take mine,” said Marcus.
In statements issued on Thursday, Cambridge and Selborne primary schools warned parents to be vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to the relevant authorities.
The statement from Selborne Primary headmaster Riaan Bisschoff read: “Social media and the press of late have been filled with incidents of attempted child trafficking. These incidents have been prevalent in the Cape, Durban and Johannesburg. Please be advised that these reports have surfaced in East London. This is a scary thought when it hits home.”
As soon as I went to my side of the car he went to the passenger side to open the door to get to my son
Teoda Marcus