“Strangers aren’t bad people, they are just people you don’t know” says Upper Ottawa Valley OPP Constable Peever.
After a call was made about a suspicious man trying to lure a kid into his vehicle, in Tweed on October 13 (no contact or injuries resulted), Peever mentions that it’s important for parents to have the talk with their kids. The talk is to let them know that they shouldn’t engage in verbal communication with strangers. Should they encounter one, he says that it’s important for kids to keep an arm’s length away. Some of the tips Peever gives to parents, who have kids walking to and from school, include spotting specific safe locations such as a store, a neighbour or a school to which the child knows he can go to, should he encounter a suspicious person.
Although the technique of luring kids with candy is possible, Peever mentions that the most common technique used for child abduction is that of asking help to look for a pet or a puppy.
As Halloween approaches, it is essential that parents take the right steps to ensure their children are safe.