BATH
A 12-year-old boy is safe after foiling an abduction attempt in the city Wednesday afternoon.
According to Lt. Robert Savary of the Bath Police Department, the boy was approached by a man driving a minivan near the 500 block of Middle Street at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The child described the van as gray or green in color, with a small antenna on the roof. The make and model are not known, but the boy said it was a newer vehicle.
The driver of the van reached out and grabbed the boy and attempted to pull him into the van. The boy fought back and was able to free himself, then fled to his home.
The boy described the man as about 40 years old, bald, approximately
5 foot 9 inches tall, with a long beard. He was said to be wearing ripped jeans and a gray shirt. The van was last seen driving north on Middle Street.
Anyone with information about the van or the man is urged to call Bath police at 443-5563.
Authorities say only 25 percent of missing child reports are abductions by strangers. Parental strategies to avoid a child abduction include:
— Never leave kids alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute.
— Set boundaries about the places your kids go. Supervise them in places such as malls, movie theaters, parks, public bathrooms, or while fundraising door to door.
— Make sure custody documents are in order.
— Have ID-like photos taken of your kids every six months and have them fingerprinted using local police fingerprinting programs.
— Keep kids’ medical and dental records up to date.
— Be aware of your kids’ Internet activities and “friends” and remind them never to give out personal information.
— Avoid posting identifying information or photos of your kids online.
— Choose sitters, child care providers and nannies carefully. Check their references. If you’ve arranged for someone to pick up your kids from school or day care, discuss the arrangements beforehand with your kids and with the school or child care center.
ghamilton@timesrecord.com
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