On Monday evening a post on Facebook was doing the rounds, warning of an alleged child abduction in Sandown.
Obviously this worrying news sparked great concern amongst readers, many of whom got in touch, so we contacted the Police to find out whether the claims had any substance.
Police confirmed this morning that they received a report of a man acting suspiciously in Avenue Road, Sandown on Monday (1 August).
They went on to say that an officer has visited the area this week make initial enquiries, and could find no evidence at this time to confirm any criminal offences had been planned or committed.
Police spoke with parents
On Tuesday evening an officer traced and spoke with parents of the children who had raised concerns initially.
Thankfully it sounds as though this time there wasn’t anything to worry about, but Police do encourage people to act responsibly by reporting information to the authorities if they’re worried about the welfare of a child.
Anyone with more information can contact the Isle of Wight Public Protection Unit by phoning 101.
Image: Mike Kline under CC BY 2.0
