Hunt for "abducted" child in Surrey?

As nobody has been reported missing, this probably isn't what it seems.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/redhill-child-abduction-everything-know-11802480

Was just reading this bizarre one on Sky.

http://news.sky.com/story/police-launch-appeal-after-bike-boy-taken-into-van-10551967

It's called Operation Bigfoot.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/surrey-child-abduction-live-updates-8708008

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/704203/redhill-surrey-kidnap-boy-black-van-noone-reports-missing-child

An update on this although not much to update.

Is this 'witness' spinning a yawn I wonder....

He or she will be in big trouble if this is all a hoax.

Snipped from the 'updates' on the Mirror website...

The 'Investigator' is on the case so all will be solved within the hour.

ITV reporter claims the bike has been identified

ITV has either come up with something everyone else has missed - or are wrong.

Its reporter Marks Williams-Thomas says the bike has been identified as one “from around the area that children pick up use & abandon” - although he doesn’t say who has identified this.

The implication - if true - is that nobody owns it therefore? Although it doesn’t immediately look like a bike someone would abandon.

The mystery deepens...

Cont update : The pedal cycle has been identified as a bike from around the area that children pick up use & abandon #Surrey
— Mark Williams-Thomas (@mwilliamsthomas) August 26, 2016

And this from that other muppet...

#Redhill Publican says bike at scene of child ‘abduction’ had been dumped outside his pub 2 days before and he moved it near rubbish bins.
— Martin Brunt (@skymartinbrunt) August 26, 2016

I hadn't noticed that Super Stain, sorry Mark, was involved.

This will be solved in no time.

15:36 STEPHEN JONES
Police appeal for missing van

Minutes before the 3.30pm press conference police have issued an appeal for the black van involved in the alleged child abduction.

They have issued pictures of a vehicle similar to the one they are after.

Clearly Surrey Police believe something happened which is worth continued investigations.

15:07 STEPHEN JONES
More rumours about the mountain bike

Sky News have followed up ITV’s assertion about the bike with more detail.

Its reporter Martin Brunt says that a pub owner says he saw the mountain bike “dumped outside his pub two days ago”.

He adds that he moved it near to rubbish bins.

Hopefully we will discover more about this at the 3.30pm press conference - stand by for live updates.

Nick WallisVerified account ‏@nickwallis 6m6 minutes ago
#redhill police gone back to witness who reported. Satisfied with credibility "at this stage". Narrowed timings down to 4.25pm to 4.40pm.

Nick WallisVerified account ‏@nickwallis 6m6 minutes ago
#redhill police operating on two theories: it happened as described ie it was an abduction or it might have been an angry parent

The most likely explanation is that it was an angry parent with their own stroppy child but you'd think that by now he (I presume male) would have heard about the report and come forward to clear himself.

Perhaps it's Creche Man again up to his old trick of waiting years to identify himself.

One morning when I was waiting at traffic lights whilst on my way to work I saw a man and a girl aged about 11 arguing. They were both yelling and he was grabbing her and she was pulling away. After a minute or so, he got hold of her arm and dragged her and his pushbike along the road towards a primary school which was about 200 yards away.. Having just dealt with 2 stroppy teenagers on the school run, my initial thoughts were sympathy for him. Then a few minutes later I thought, what if he was abducting her - although dragging a bike along as well made it seem unlikely. I slammed on the brakes and turned the car around and drove back but they had gone by then. I rang the police and explained what I had seen. They were very good and took my report seriously. They told me that they were sending a car out immediately and in the meantime would contact the school to see if they knew anything. I assume it wasn'the a crime as there was nothing in the press but wish I had asked the police to inform me of the outcome.

You did the right thing in reporting it, Chilli. I guess you never know so it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure a lot of people in your situation would not have bothered.

Still no news on this. I'm surprised they haven't tracked down this van yet. You don't see many of those knocking about so surely not to hard to locate?

“Given the credibility of the witness account, we have no reason to disbelieve the account.”

I wonder what made it so credible?

The angry parent theory is mentioned here.

http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/was-redhill-child-abduction-actually-an-angry-parent-telling-off-their-child/story-29658422-detail/story.html

It's looking more likely that it's probably an angry parent. Just had a look to see if there's been any updates but can't find anything.

I still can't understand why they haven't tracked down this VW transporter van with the distinctive alloy wheels.

This witness as well... He/she said they saw this alleged abduction but why no details given or released about the abductor. Was it male or female, large or small build, type of clothing... etc.

Seems all very strange to me.

I suppose it's possible that all he saw (I think that the witness is male) was the child being pulled into the van and didn't get a glimpse of the driver.

I'm beginning to think he didn't get a glimpse of anything at all and came out with a fairytale. But obviously the Police don't think that.

Well lots of people don't ever want to get involved with the police or reporters even for the most innocent thing.

I can quite understand a parent/guardian arguing with their child and getting that child into a car forcefully - sometimes they can drive a parent to distraction !

Hope that is all it is, and not a serious abduction.

I can understand what you're saying, Bluebell, about people not wanting to get involved etc.

I think the likely explanation (if it indeed happened) is say a father losing patience with his son and forcing him in the van but you would think with all the media coverage, and if it was completely innocent, then they would come forward by now rather than being traced and tracked down.

Still no updates this morn as far as I can see.

And why they can't track down this Volkswagen van is a mystery in itself.

The longer this goes on - and no embarrassed parent comes forward to say it was him or her - the more I think the incident didn't happen.

Whether the witness was genuinely mistaken or has deliberately made it up remains to be seen.

Well the police are still working on it.   Must be taking masses of man hours but if it was an abduction it's very worrying.


Redhill boy 'abduction': Fresh appeal as inquiry continues
35 minutes ago
From the section Surrey


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-37208336

Nothing to do with the 'abducted child' but to do with a 'missing woman' that I was just reading about in the news.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3762163/Coastguard-launch-search-swimmer-reported-missing-Camber-Sands-days-five-drowned-there.html

She did the right thing when she learned about the search.

I'm reminded of this story which is probably an urban myth as it has been reported at different times and places but it's funny anyway.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2195642/Asian-tourist-unwittingly-joins-search-HERSELF-failing-recognise-tour-groups-description-missing-woman.html

Ha - that's an amusing story. Not heard of that one before.