Pointe Claire kidnapping accusations unfounded:police

Two alleged kidnapping attempts of local students by a suspect with a similar description last month are now being called unfounded by the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (Montreal police) after they raised awareness of the cases two weeks ago. "There is no suspect that is driving around our schools in the West Island that is trying to kidnap our students," said Peter Lambrinakos, chief of criminal investigations for the western region of Montreal police.

Rumours over an alleged child kidnapper began Oct. 6 when a 12-year-old male student at St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire reported being stopped at the corner of St. Louis Avenue and Marsh Streets, just west of Sources Boulevard, by a 40-year-old, brown-haired white man, weighing around 160 pounds, measuring 5'8 in height, and driving a red van.

A week later, on Oct. 14, a 13-year-old girl on her way to École Secondaire Félix Leclerc had reported being stopped by a suspect with a similar description, also driving a red van.

Police at the time said the girl was even stopped by the suspect and managed to escape after a physical altercation that bruised her arm. "The victim was driven to a hospital to take care of her wounds," Station 5 Commander Jacquelin St. Pierre told media during an urgent press conference convened that day, asking parents and school officials to remain vigilant.

Today, however, Lambrinakos said the origin of those wounds could not be disclosed. "I can't really comment on what happened but it had not been a scuffle with somebody that tried to kidnap her," he said.

A third report emerged in Dollard des Ormeaux on Oct. 19, but was dismissed by police as unfounded a day later. "It was the perception of a child that thought he saw a red van," said Lambrinakos, adding it may have been due to intense media follow-ups after the press conference earlier alerting parents to keep an eye out.

Both Lester B. Pearson and Marguerite Bourgeoys, the English and French-language school boards in the West Island, respectively, immediately sent out letters telling parents and children to keep on their guard, along with many safety tips, right after the first kidnapping.

Pearson chairperson Marcus Tabachnick said he does not regret the way the board acted after police first warned schools and parents. "I wouldn't change anything that we did," he said, recalling police had called those reports serious. "We try to teach kids that their school is a safe place," he added, "that adults will take them seriously."

According to Lambrinakos, police officers received 70 different calls or e-mails by parents about drivers of red vans behaving 'suspiciously' in October. All were individually investigated, along with the two Pointe Claire cases, before police reached this conclusion today, he said.