Parents warned after man in van 'tried to grab' schoolgirl, 12

Parents warned to be vigilant after man in blue Ford van ‘tried to grab’ schoolgirl, 12

  • A schoolgirl, 12, alleged that a man in a blue van tried to snatch her from street
  • She said the man got out of the Ford van and tried to block her path and grab her
  • Her mother is ‘devastated’ and says her daughter is frightened to go to school 
  • A message was sent from Whitmore Primary School, Essex, warning parents 

Parents have been warned to be vigilant after a man in a van allegedly tried to pick up a 12-year-old girl near a school. 

According to reports, the driver of the blue Ford van followed the girl through Bower Lane in Basildon, Essex, as she walked to collect her sibling. 

She claims the man got out of the van before walking around it, where she believes he tried to grab her. 

The incident happened at around 4:10pm on Wednesday (June 29). 

Whitmore Primary School later sent out a message, warning parents to be vigilant. Pictured – area near the school

The girl’s mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Echo that her daughter is shaken up and now frightened of going to school. 

‘He knew what he was doing and after watching her from his van he parked up and got out of the van,’ she said. 

‘He went around the van and tried to cut her up. She was panicking and just trying to get away and she didn’t want to look back. She thinks he reached out and tried to grab her.

‘You never think it could happen to your children and she was almost taken. 

‘It’s absolutely devastating and makes me feel sick to think people like that are in society and it’s so close to home too.’ 

According to The Echo, Whitmore Primary School later sent out a message, warning parents to be vigilant. 

The message read: ‘We have been made aware of an incident that happened in the area, someone in a blue transit van jumped out and tried to grab a child, they then chased them.

‘They did not catch them. The local policing team has been told. Please be vigilant.’  

 Anyone with information should contact police on 101. 

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