I would like to know when this was reported to the police and why was there no mention of it on the news this morning? (At least I never heard of anything). Parents need to be kept in the loop and it seems as though too much time has passed before finally being informed.

Do you think the person is going to cruise around to be caught with his vehicle description all over the airwaves?

Why do they not complete the information and say by which schools ? I hate generalities in these sort of things.

Lunar - it does state which schools at the end

If someone was following what was the plate number???

Issue cell phones with cameras to all the toddlers with instructions on how to use them. That oughta catch any bad men.

"Do you think the person is going to cruise around to be caught with his vehicle description all over the airwaves?"

Our children are not your "bait car". Broadcast the information immediately upon receipt.

Maybe you then get a whole pile of leads that do your job for you just as easily.

I agree completely with Thunder.

Agreed Harbinger. In the very least how about some surveillance equipment in and around school playgrounds. It's a known coffee shop fact that most of the schools outdoor supervision is not up to par in this day and age with the way the world has changed.

Just so you know, this happend yesterday, I was made aware of it today, at school. Do you people expect instant everything? Are you so perfect that you would have done everything as perfectly as you expect? This news site comments are so harsh and judgemental against the people out there helping.

My apology's. I got to enraged before reading to the end.

something has gone of the tracks in our society. I think the judicial system has to get tougher, We need to have tougher laws to stop people from breaking our social fiber.

If your a criminal, treat them like a criminal, not this oh we can't do that, or this to him. Nope if your caught stealing, cut off his finger, if he is child molestor cut off his @#$%. This will stop his urges.

A recent BC Progress Board report has BC with the 2nd highest overall crime rate of any province or state in North America. The highest for property crime (we don't respect our neighbors), and 4th highest for violent crimes out of the 61 jurisdictions studied.

Makes one wonder about the crown prosecutors and the RCMP here in BC. I blame them for all the deals they do with the criminals to let them off for turning a friend or what ever other story the petty criminal can concoct to get through the revolving door we call justice here in BC.

"Just so you know, this happend yesterday, I was made aware of it today, at school."

Good for you. We were not made aware of the timeline, and have still not, except by way of your post. Glad that you are content to be the only person notified, why don't you think of something more than yourself ?

" Do you people expect instant everything? "

When it comes to a risk against our kids, absolutely ! Instant, right now !

"Are you so perfect that you would have done everything as perfectly as you expect?"

Not perfect at all, far from it, all of us.
But when it comes to looking out for my kids, I do a better job than anybody else, barr none. I don't trust you or my neighbor or the system to do it for me, so give me the information immediately and I will look after my own house.

"This news site comments are so harsh and judgemental against the people out there helping. "

Tough cookies. Maybe we just love our kids. Maybe the people out there helping could pick it up a notch.

To make my point clearly, here is an "ad hoc" timeline just from perusing this article.

- News article "Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 01:25 PM"

- article states it happened "yesterday" (Tuesday) sometime

- I read in a news article posted at 8:00 the next evening after the incident "Posted by: uyterlindekel on October 22 2008 8:01 PM" that some people have been notified at the school of the incident, and this is apparently "enough action taken"

This is a timely and proper notification of the general public at large and parents especially ?! If I didn't read 250 I STILL wouldn't know about it !!

I guess you're right "uyterlindekel", what the hell was I thinking ? You make a very compelling case.

Here's some news for you.
Here is an incomplete list of some places this creep could now be, having had plenty of time to travel away from the area, with nobody on the lookout for his vehicle, knowing full well that the two failed abduction attempts are going to bring heat on him and his vehicle. He may not be from this area. Transitory existence is what makes these creeps so prolific. Now he goes to another community to start fresh and try again. It would have been nice for the family of the next child if Prince George would have stepped up to the plate and broken the cycle.

He could now be as far as:
Manitoba, Yukon, NWT, Oregon, N. Dakota, and all points lesser.

As we experienced with the Johnson/Bentley case, when the police make information readily available immediately, vehicles can be tracked all across Canada and then some. Even though the vehicle that was being tracked in the Johnson/Bentley case was not the vehicle they were seeking, it proves the power of the public being involved. Those two guys drove right across Canada and the police knew their every move thanks to the public and the information that was disseminated.

Community Policing - We should try it sometime instead of just talking about it.

* Disclaimer: Please ignore everything I just wrote as I have no education and have no legal experience whatsoever, I know nothing about anything. Good luck to you and your superior efforts.

I don't know what to say. We realy need to keep our eyes pealed around playgrounds and schools or whenever we see children around. We should not be afraid to aproach any adult hanging around them and say, "hey hows it going what are you here for". If you see a supicious vehicle write down the plate and description, it never hurts to phone it in.

In my neighborhood last year I aproached a car parked in the neighborhood with two suspicious looking guys while I was walking to work. I knocked on the window and said what's up, they were undercover RCMP.

Is anybody hiring for mall security ?

That's exactly what Community Policing is, Diesel. Good on you ! That's all it takes.

You said to them, indirectly, "I'm here, I'm aware of you, and I'm not going to ignore you or your activities, I'm watching."

Burgerluver,
Can you positively say that an increase in child assults [if there truly has been one - I don't know] is a result of supervisory ineffectiveness? Or is it possible that there's been an increase in reports or maybe some other variable? Unfortunately for us, and even moreso for our children, there's always been too many creeps hanging around.

Jeepers reasonableman, don't read me wrong. I think the evil man should be horribly tourtured. I have kids and am very vigilant in their protection. The incident at Westwood was my daughter's friend. I would like to know why the licence plate wasn't taken by the person following. There probably is a reason. So I can't just down on them for not getting it. Or maybe their cell didn't have a camera so why would I get soooo angry when the facts aren't all laid out? Maybe the police were hoping to play this quiet and get the bugger before the public unroar made him move on to the next prey. There are so many veriables out there. All I'm saying is cut the good guys some slack. I think they do a pretty good job in the battle they fight. Especially when the judicial system and the public don't back them. I wouldn't like their job so they have my support.

Well those kids are heroes to all other kids during this time. Awareness and education outside the classroom also must be taught. These kids were very smart to run and tell someone right away. Reading this article yesterday reminded me to refresh my own kids brains on the matter.
Nice to see you again thereasonableman!

Diesel is on the right track - I had my kids in an after hours practice at a local school the other night. There were some kids playing in the playground and some teenage girls practicing a dance routine under the canopy. I was sitting and reading a book in the parking lot and I really would have welcomed someone walking up and asking why I was there.

Hi H, thanks !

For anybody that got confused reading so many sentences, the Reader's Digest version:

An immediate mass notification and press release should have taken place upon the confirmed report.

That was not done.

Kids are not bait cars.

The person following the suspect was likely inexperienced and didn't know what to do but chase him away. At least they DID something.

The people trained in such matters should have done more, lots more.
-----------------------------------------
Want to know how well these creeps blend in and prepare themselves for what they are to do ?

Here's a little story for you....

A parking complaint is received late in the evening. It is a "corner clearance violation". (the vehicle is parked so close to the corner of the intersection that it makes it very difficult for other vehicles to negotiate around) It has to be removed, it is impeding traffic too much at this narrow side-street intersection.
A tow truck is dispatched. Once hooked up, the operator enters the vehicle to secure it for safe towing. While making notes, a pounding noise is heard from inside the vehicle. Looking up, I notice the tow truck driver inside the vehicle, pounding on the window and looking at me in disbelief. I open the door, and ask what's wrong (fearing the answer) ? He states he couldn't get out. He got in, and the door swung closed behind him because he had the front of the vehicle lifted. Then, he couldn't find how to open the door.
This vehicle is a cargo-style van, and has all the door lock knobs, all the window cranks, all the door handles removed and taken out of the vehicle. There is no way to get out of this vehicle once you are in it. Upon searching the vehicle, a loose door handle is found hidden in behind the glove box. There are several pieces of cord and other materials suitable for tying something up, found inside. The vehicle is registered in BC, but the owner is not from this province until just recently and has no criminal history or involvement with the police in any regard, not even traffic violations. If he hadn't been careless in his choice of parking spots, he would still be flying under the radar.

This guy was driving around the neighborhood, right beside you and me, fitting right into the woodwork and arousing no suspicion. He was getting gas beside us, parking beside us at the shopping mall, maybe even standing behind us in the lineup at the grocery store. The apartment he was renting was in a lower-income area with lots of kids around and single parents. There were 6 schools within 10 minutes drive of this highly populated area. This occurred only a few years after Clifford Olson was arrested, and near the same area.

When I say, "YOU NEED TO GET THE NEWS OUT, AND GET IT OUT RIGHT NOW !"

I mean it, and I have very good reasons for saying it.

Like I said before, it's not like I have any experience or know anything.

....but a heck of a lot of common sense.

These guys are a fact of life and we can't change that but once found we can sure make the rest of their lives miserable.
Teach the kids, all kids, the street smarts they need to survive creeps like this. Once a month Stranger Danger should be refreshed in their little innocent minds.
Wow, being a parent is a tough, scary job!

We do have to educate our kids both at home and school. The only problem I see is that some parents just don't have the skills or thier S@%#t together enough to reenforce these valuable leasons. It's sad but a reality. That's why adults like us who do have are S@%#t together need to keep our eyes open and not be afraid to talk to those around any of our children.

Like Interceptor said most parents like ourselves find it a positive experience to be questioned by a stranger as to why you are there.

I don't mind being called a mall cop if it means one child is possibly saved from a terrible situation.

Have a good weekend everyone.

R-man. Since you have a wealth of experience why don't you tell us uneducated folk what exactly the police do after 911 operators receive the call about this van. Walk us through the procedure then tell us how it should be done.