Police investigate boy taken from yard
Police are investigating the attempted abduction of an eight-year-old boy from his backyard in Shelley yesterday.
The boy was playing about 6.40am when a man in a black hoodie climbed over the fence.
The boy told police the man did not say anything or threaten him but covered his mouth with his hand and carried him over the fence.
The man is thought to have carried the boy 20m to 40m before the boy elbowed him and broke free.
A local woman walking her dog found the boy 200m away.
Charmaine White said he was visibly distressed and told her that he had run from a man who tried to take him.
Ms White told Seven News that she noticed the boy walking quickly and found it unusual that he was alone and dressed in a tank top and pants not suited to the cold weather.
“He mentioned that he was trying to get away and I said, ‘What do you mean by that’,” she said.
“He said, ‘A man tried to take me from my backyard’.”
Ms White said the boy showed her where he lived, identified his parents and gave her a mobile phone number.
The boy’s mother met them halfway up the road and Ms White said his parents were “extremely distressed”.
Acting Insp. Ray Horne said people needed to be mindful and vigilant of the security of their children and their homes.
“It’s always concerning when there’s an unknown person in your backyard,” he said. “The child has done all the right things. He’s managed to break free. He was smart enough to run away and seek assistance.”
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Kensington detectives, forensic officers and local policing teams spent several hours combing the area for clues.
The man is 175cm tall with a slim build and a dark complexion consistent with fake tanning.
Police plan extra patrols in the area and anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to call police on 131 444.
Anyone with information or who was in the area at the time is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
