FYI - Parents of children in S8 and the surrounding areas

[dhs1 10]

Thank you for posting this. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

To dismiss it as false or rumour before knowing the facts may not be in the best interests of children and parents. I speak as a parent with a child who was the subject of an attempted abduction by a stranger, and then less than 24 hours later, another attempted abduction happened only streets away, so it does happen, unfortunately. Yes, the police and school were informed and parents received a letter.

 

To pass it on before knowing the facts is scaremongering.

[Baggers1987 10]

My previous message and a few others on here have been done with good intentions to inform people. What is the point in coming on here and slagging the message off, what good is that really doing?

[Halibut 12]

My previous message and a few others on here have been done with good intentions to inform people. What is the point in coming on here and slagging the message off, what good is that really doing?

 

One might ask the same question of those who post such alerts without knowing them to be true. I think doing so merely raises peoples anxiety and concern without reason and that this is unhelpful and possibly dangerous.

[Baggers1987 10]

As a previous poster stated 'better to be safe than sorry'. If you have no interest in the post or think its a fake then dont comment. Simples

[FELICIA 10]

Just assume this might happen at any time and make your kids aware of the dangers

[Mr Bloom 10]

Saw both the S8 one and Woodhouse one being shared a lot on facebook. Went on the SY Police website and their twitter feed and neither was being mentioned so I'd assume fake.

 

That's not a failsafe method of deduction. As far as I am aware the attempted abduction of my child by a stranger was never put on the police website.

 

---------- Post added 09-10-2013 at 08:25 ----------

 

To pass it on before knowing the facts is scaremongering.

 

You have your opinion, but as a parent I would rather know, even if it turns out to be a rumour. I am concerned about the number of people who would have warnings posted in good faith instantly dismissed as rumours.

[KenH 10]

From reading the various threads on this forum it seems to me that there is a massive problem with people approaching children. It also seems that the police won't do anything about warning people properly.

 

My suggestion is that the forum run a warning system, perhaps with a coloured light that always appears on the forum header. Here are my suggested grades/colours depending on how serious the situation is, and what parents should then do:-

 

Green - Nothing has happened and your children can speak to anyone.

 

Yellow - Someone has heard from a friend that they know someone who got a text saying a man in a white van was talking to some children near a school. Warn children to avoid all vans and particularly white ones.

 

Amber - A school was also heard the same rumour and someone in the office has decided, for "Health and Safety Reasons" to warn all their parents. Get your children to run home, avoiding everyone over 18 just in case. Don't let them use public transport as this can be very dangerous.

 

Red - These rumours have been repeated on this forum many times and so must now be true. Run and hide, stockpile food if possible, await the all-clear siren.

[Kthebean 10]

As a previous poster stated 'better to be safe than sorry'. If you have no interest in the post or think its a fake then dont comment. Simples

 

Assume you would be keeping your children safe anyway?

[alchresearch 214]

And this is what happens to rumours:

 

Tourist is mutilated and burnt alive on Madagascar beach by mob of locals who mistook him for paedophile

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/tourist-is-mutilated-and-burnt-alive-on-madagascar-beach-by-mob-of-locals-who-mistook-him-for-paedophile-8866020.html

[Boothybabe 10]

And this is what happens to rumours:

 

Tourist is mutilated and burnt alive on Madagascar beach by mob of locals who mistook him for paedophile

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/tourist-is-mutilated-and-burnt-alive-on-madagascar-beach-by-mob-of-locals-who-mistook-him-for-paedophile-8866020.html

 

Where was that again...Meadowhead ?

[Cyclone 10]

My previous message and a few others on here have been done with good intentions to inform people. What is the point in coming on here and slagging the message off, what good is that really doing?

 

It makes people do some investigation in the future instead of taking every message they receive at face value.

What is the point of causing panic or worry without verifying the information?

 

---------- Post added 09-10-2013 at 10:34 ----------

 

As a previous poster stated 'better to be safe than sorry'. If you have no interest in the post or think its a fake then dont comment. Simples

 

Or if you think it's fake, comment and potentially save people the concern and worry the false rumour might cause.

[dvp82 10]

And this is what happens to rumours:

 

Tourist is mutilated and burnt alive on Madagascar beach by mob of locals who mistook him for paedophile

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/tourist-is-mutilated-and-burnt-alive-on-madagascar-beach-by-mob-of-locals-who-mistook-him-for-paedophile-8866020.html

 

Where was that again...Meadowhead ?

 

Man parks his white van near meadowhead school. Local residents lynch man in van. One person says " well I heard on Facebook that a man in white van was seen trying to kidnap a child. We saw a man in a white van "