Lincolnshire Police dispel Facebook rumour of attempted kidnapping at Bourne Skatepark

Social media reports of an attempted kidnapping were not what they seemed, according to the police.

Posts were shared on social media yesterday (Monday, July 15) alleging that there was an attempted kidnapping of a boy at the skatepark in Bourne.

Police officers visited the area, spoke with employees at businesses nearby, reviewed CCTV footage, and met with the boy and his parents.

It is understood that a man had picked up a bag belonging to a boy, and put it down when the child approached. The man then left the area.

Officers say no attempted kidnapping offences took place.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “We are aware of posts on social media about an attempted kidnapping of a boy in Bourne.

“People would have been rightly concerned to read this, so we wanted to let you know what actions we’ve taken, and crucially, to reassure you that based on the information we have, we do not believe this was as first reported.”

They added: “We’re not complacent, and we’ll always take reports like this seriously.

“If you have a concern, please report it to the police so we can make the right checks, and hopefully, avoid any undue concern for the public.”