Five Attempted Abductions Of Children Outside Hampshire Schools In Past Ten Days

There have been at least five attempted abductions of children outside or near Hampshire schools over the past ten days.

This morning Oasis Academy, Sholing, Southampton said there was an attempted abduction outside the school.

Yesterday there was a similar incident reported at the Oasis Mayfield, also in Sholing and also yesterday, warning letters were sent to parents after a man in a car stopped a boy on his way home from The Hamble School, in Satchell Lane, Hamble, and offered him a lift.

The school said a man, driving a grey or silver Vauxhall car, offered to take the boy home on 17 November, claiming he knew his mother.

Described as white, aged 50-60 with short grey hair he drove off when the boy asked him for his mother’s surname. The school said it had since reported a further three incidents to police.

In a letter to parents, the school said police were “taking the matter extremely seriously”. It said there had also been reports from other schools and an incident in Woolston in a shop “potentially involving the same individual”.

Elsewhere Regents Park Community College in Shirley, Southampton posted a warning on its website on Monday after police informed the school of two suspicious incidents.

The school said the incidents happened at Southampton Common, near the Bellemoor public house and in Shirley precinct “where a male was seen trying to encourage a 12-year-old into his vehicle.”

Hampshire Police have been contacted for comment.