Huge numbers of children 'abducted' in Britain, '900' children last year according to PACT

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2963725/Huge-rise-numbers-children-snatched-Britain-900-minors-taken-strangers-parents-past-year.html

What a load of tosh. So 900 children were abducted but none of their parents went to the police frantic? They didn't go to the press or set up a facebook page or tweet anything?

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The number of children in Britain who have been snatched has increased with almost 900 youngsters taken by strangers or their parents in the last year, a new report reveals.

Figures gathered by police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the charity Parents and Abducted Children Together (Pact) show that child kidnappings have increased by almost a fifth.

During 2013-14, kidnappings and abductions of children under 18 rose by 13 per cent since the previous year.

Kidnappings alone, which are defined as using force or fraud to remove a child, increased at a faster rate, rising by 18 per cent over the same period.

Most abductions, 401 out of 559, were carried out by people other than the children's parents, while 321 were kidnapped.

The number of children being abducted by parents was 158, up by six per cent on the previous year.

And the charity believe the increase in numbers since 2012-13 could be down to a different attitude in recording such crimes in the light of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal.

Pact's director of research Geoff Newiss said: 'I would imagine that (Rotherham) is something to do with it.

'I wouldn't be surprised if forces are more sensitive now to the need to record what comes their way.'

The highest rate of child abduction and kidnap was in Northern Ireland, with 11.6 offences per 100,00 children in the last year.

Meanwhile the lowest was in Wales where there were 4.5 offences per 100,000 children.

The largest forces such as the Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number of cases, while kidnapping and abduction offences in Lancashire doubled and there were also significant increases in Kent, North Yorkshire and Northumbria.

Mr Newiss added: 'Our analysis shows quite alarming rises in child abduction and kidnapping over the last two years.

However, it's difficult to say whether this is a consequence of victims being more likely to report crime, changes in the way police record it, or a genuine increase in offending.

'It is important to stress that child abduction or kidnapping is relatively rare.

'However, we know that many incidents go unreported to, or unrecorded by, the police.'

While Susannah Drury, Director of Policy for Missing People, said: 'The report has uncovered worrying increases in child abductions and kidnapping offences - highlighting the importance of a quick and effective national response to these crimes. '

The Association of Chief Police Officers say there has been a significant increase in the recording of these kinds of crimes due to a 'considerable focus' on improving crime-recording practices.

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Isn't this Catherine Meyers charity where Cherie blair had to step down from when it was revealed all but £10k raised went on wages?

I'd like to know more details of those 900 supposed cases of child abduction in the past year.

I cannot think of a single publicised instance which would come into that category.

"Fried air" article, IMO, Freedom.
With a purpose, of course ...

In the Mail, there are eight photos accompanying the article:

1. April Jones who was abducted in the last 12 months 2012.

2. Alice Gross who was abducted in the last 12 months.

3. Talia Belaid who was taken by her father in the last 12 months 2012.

4. Shannon Matthews whose abduction was simulated by her mother in the last 12 months 2008.

5. Natalie Horrell who was abducted in the last 12 months 1988.

6. Alex Griffiths who was abducted in the last 12 months 1990.

7. Vishal Mehrotra who was abducted in the last 12 months 1981.

8. Martin Allen who disappeared in the last 12 months 1979.

So, if the article is to highlight abductions that have taken place within the last 12 months, why is there only one photograph of a child that was taken within the specified time-frame? Alternatively, if the photos were to highlight famous abductions, where's Madeleine? To print an article like this without a picture of the most famous "abducted" child in the world would have been unthinkable a few months ago.