Teenage girls arrested after 3 year old abducted in Newcastle
Incident sparked a joint operation which found the girl over an hour later.
Police would like to thank all those involved in the search for a missing 3 year old in Newcastle City Centre earlier this evening. At 4.55pm police were informed a 3 year old girl had gone missing from Primark in Northumberland Street. Officers immediately responded and launched an investigation to find the child and it was quickly established that she had left the store with two teenage girls who she did not know. Local retail premises were alerted and both security and shop staff assisted police. The local shopwatch scheme was utilised to share information about the incident between retailers. Travel networks were also alerted with bus, rail and metro staff also assisting police. CCTV enquiries were launched with Newcastle City Council, Eldon Square, local retail premises, Newcastle University, bus companies, the metro and police CCTV cameras. Specialist search staff were consulted and civil enforcement officers briefed and assisted. The child was found just over an hour later in Gosforth by a Police Community Support Officer. Two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, have been arrested on suspicion of child abduction in connection with the incident. Chief Inspector Dave Gould said:
"Thankfully the child was quickly located by officers and then reunited with her mother. This has been an incredibly distressing time for the girls family and specialist officers are working with and supporting the family. We mobilised all available local police resources to make sure the girl was found as quickly as possible and also included assistance from the public, and many of our partner agencies including Newcastle local authority and university as well as staff from retail premises, bus companies, train station and metro system. I would like to thank all of those involved for their help in finding this little girl and helping reunite her with her mother. Our enquiries will now continue to establish the circumstances of what happened and speaking to the two teenage girls in custody regarding the incident" Anyone with information that could help with the police investigation should contact Northumbria Police on 101 quoting reference 692 130416 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.