Attempted Child Abduction In South Manchester

Published 15th Sep 2015

Police are investigating after a man tried to abduct an 11-year-old boy off the street in South Manchester.

It happened around 6.15pm last night, (Monday 14 September) while the boy was walking home on Beresford Road.

A red Nissan Micra pulled up alongside him, and the driver grabbed the boy’s arm and told him to get into the car.

The boy managed to break free and ran onto Duncan Road where he hid behind a wall. The man got out of the car and walked around for a few minutes, seemingly looking for the boy, before getting back into the car and driving away.

The man is described as white, between 45 and 55 years-old, tall and of slim build, and was wearing a red t-shirt with horizontal stripes.

Detective Inspector Adrian Gallagher said:

“This is an extremely worrying incident, but fortunately the boy managed to escape and wasn’t hurt in any way.

“However, it is vital we catch this man as soon as possible to prevent any further attempts to snatch young children off the street.

“I would ask that anyone who believes they saw the man or to contact police as soon as possible.

“I would also urge parents to take extra steps to protect their children, particularly in the area in which this incident occurred.

“Remain vigilant, warn children about the dangers of talking to strangers and reduce the amount of time young children are out on the street unsupervised.

“These simple steps could ensure your child’s safety.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4223, 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.