By Danielle Galvin
KIDS at Pakenham Hills Primary School are on high alert after two frightening incidents involving possible abduction attempts.
Students will “buddy up” and walk home with friends after separate incidents were reported to the school in the last two weeks.
A letter was sent home urging students to walk home together or with a parent.
Police are investigating the incidents and could not confirm if they were possible abduction attempts.
“We do not know the motivation of these people, it could be innocent. It could be a delivery van driver asking for directions,” said Detective Sergeant Phil Jury from the Pakenham CIU.
In the first incident, two boys aged 11 and 15 were walking along Highland Road in Pakenham on Sunday 21 August when they were approached by a man in a white van.
It is believed the boys ran away when the driver pulled up on the opposite side of the road before making a hand signal ushering them to come over to him.
“These kids did the right thing by not responding to the man in the van,” said Det Sgt Jury.
The parents of the young boys reported the incident to the school.
The school’s principal Dale Hendrik said that the parents notified one of the assistant principals, who contacted the police.
In the second incident, two 11-year-old girls were walking along Herbert Street in Pakenham when a man aged in his twenties called out to them.
Police will patrol the school when classes finish at 3.10pm for the next week.
A similar incident occurred at Kooweerup Primary School last week.
Principal David Payne alerted parents in the school’s newsletter.
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