Continuing with investigations, members from the Northern Territory Police General Crime Section have established that a number of the alleged attempted abductions reported recently were false reports.

Incident One
Reported 06/09/2011 – Incident alleged to have occurred 05/09/2011 –  14 year old girl travelling home from school on a bus at Karama – Detectives have confirmed that this incident was not as reported and have now closed the investigation.

Incident Two
Reported 06/09/2011 – Incident alleged to have occurred 06/09/2011 – 13 year old boy walking along Cunningham Crescent in Palmerston approached by a male in a dark coloured sedan – investigations are continuing.

Incident Three
Reported 07/09/2011 – Incident alleged to have occurred 07/09/2011 –- 11 year old girl approached by two men in a vehicle in Gray – Detectives have confirmed that this incident was not as reported.  This investigation has now been closed.

Incident Four
Reported 09/09/2011 – Incident alleged to have occurred 09/09/2011  - Mother observed a male person leaning over back fence attempting to pick up her 2 year old child in Karama – investigations are continuing.

Incident Five
Reported 15/09/2011 – Incident alleged to have occurred 15/09/2011 - 15 year old girl at Casuarina bus interchange allegedly spoken to inappropriately by a male person – Detectives have confirmed that this incident was not as reported.  This investigation has now been closed.

Commander Peter Bravos said that significant resources will continue to be directed towards investigating the remaining two incidents.  It is however very disturbing that several children have made false reports to police. These types of reports are taken very seriously by police and a significant amount of resources have been expended investigating the false reports.

False reports have a tendency to affect the public’s perception of safety and cause unnecessary alarm in the community. Commander Bravos said that whilst not wanting to deter legitimate incidents from being reported, children need to understand that people who make false reports to police can be charged for doing so and can also be held accountable for the cost of the investigation.

NB: Cmdr Peter Bravos will be available for a media interview at 1530, Commissioner’s Conference Room, NAB Building Level 6. Media are asked to gather in the foyer of Level 4.

Media Contact
Michael Holland
0437 293 609