Durham Regional Police said a prearranged parental code-word helped a 10-year-old girl to avoid a possible abduction outside her school in Ajax, Ont.
Police said the girl was approached by a man outside Applecroft Public School, located on Coles Avenue, while she waited for parents.
The man told her he was sent by her mother to pick her up. However, when the girl asked the man for the code word set up by her parents, he didn’t know it. So the girl walked away and went back into her school.
Police said this appears to be an attempted abduction involving a couple — a man trying to lure the young girl while a woman waiting in the car.
Suspect #1 description:
-Male
-White
-Medium build
-Was unshaven and wearing a grey hat, blue scarf and green jacket with red and black high-top sneakers
Suspect #2 description:
-White
-Female
-Possibly in her late teens or early 20s
-Long blonde hair
-Was wearing a purple and pink hat
The vehicle is described as a small, blue-grey two-door sedan with a noticeable dent on the rear bumper to the left of the license plate.
Parents in the area are very concerned.
“Kids can’t be kids nowadays, you’ve got to worry every minute,” one parent told CityNews Channel. “I walk my kids to school as much as I can, or drive them to school,” another said.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to call Durham Regional Police at 1-888-579-1520 (ext. 2541), anonymously to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca. Tipsters are eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.
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Well, this really rises concern, living so close to Ajax and these monsters still out there amoung many more I’m sure. I had an incedent where my daughter who takes the bus home was out in the back of the school yard BY HERSELF crying not knowing where to go (this was at the beginning of the school year and first time rider- grade 1) A parent told me she saw her and as she went to help, then saw a teacher appear to help her…….when I called the principal, he had no idea….so tell me, should my daughter been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and these monsters approached her, what the hell would have happened? We don’t have a code word but guess what, it’s time to train them on one…..I hope the schools prepare an assembly to warn the kids too!
why haven’t they got this guy yet????
My daughters school hasn’t even sent out a letter yet, we live in Whitby, i went in to inform the school when I found out, and they said they would look into it, but nothing in two days, terrible, maybe considered a extra curricular, I now have a password with my daughter, can’t trust the school. CP24….I had to go looking for information on this rape in Toronto of the 10 year on Monday, and had to go looking for the attempted in Ajax, all I could find was the Pope stuff and TTC, WOW!!!!!!!!
As a teacher, where I work, parents must collect their children from the respective classrooms, with the exception of those who travel on the school buses. Any children not collected by a certain are taken to the reception area where parents are contacted and the children are supervised while they await collection.
I just can’t believe something like this happened…Just freakin crazy…I am glad to hear the parents and there daughter had a safe word that only they knew..Thank God for that..I hope our police catch these two pieces of trash and put them behind bars where they belong…If anyone no’s any imformatiom,,please call the police or crime stoppers right away,,before some other child is abducted…
I used Codes to my 2 sons. We have codes like the one in the article. We have codes on the door. We have codes outside when we are together. For example; I will ask a question but it’s actually a notification of the location of the danger. We also have positioning. For example; if we are in the Subway and there’s a danger, I usually notify them to dispersed as we don’t know who will be the target. If one of us was attacked, we’ll be able to move for help. I believe concern Parents should have Policy and Procedure in place as pre-cautionary.
Note to self: Create code word for future son/daughter in case something like this happens.
Isn’t this class teacher’s responsibility to make sure young kids are allowed to leave only with known individuals. Teacher of my kid never allows to let him go with a stranger evenif that person is saying that parents have sent him/her to pick kids. They would have to go through the school office in that case.
I think everyone should have a code word :0
It is a difficult task to parent against such deviance. Our girls are now attending university and they were raised in the area. Continue to review safety practices…”.nothing is for free with some sugar coating”…bedtime mantra! And WTG young lady…you are blessed with awesome parents!
Way to go parents. Good job. And it looks like you’re daughter is a good kid and did the right thing. Glad that she is OK and that she was able to get back into the school. I agree with cameras, would’ve been a good picture if he got to be that close to her. Looks like there is two more creeps wondering the streets. Hopefully somebody will recognize the description and report them and put them away.
As a grandmother of a 5 yr old that attends this school, I am very angry and disappointed in the school and the Durham Brd of Education for not informing the parents of the children that attend this school about this incident. At least 3 different news stations have reported this attempted abduction and descriptions have been given to the media of the people involved and the car involved. WHY ??? hasn’t the school sent out letters to parents giving them this information? My daughter, my grand daughters mother, was informed of this situation from a friend who lives in another city and who saw it on the news.
Kudos to this little girl who twarted this attempt.
the school DID hand out 2 letters as well as the Durham police of a full discription
Smart parents and girl too . How do we stop these abductions , hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm………………………. Automatic dead penalty ! Oh I know too harsh . Our justice system needs couple of dead bodies and kids sexually abused and messed up for rest of their lives so “justice ” can be served . Wake up Canada !
Smart parents and kid. So glad it didn’t end badly. Also the girl was lucky too that the man didn’t try to use force. (maybe he did). Another lesson learned is that don’t stay/wait outside the school, at least not alone. Stay in the school with others until the parent(s) arrives.
My daughter goes to the daycare attached to the school across the street from where this happened on Monday. I just spoke to the daycare supervisor and she did not know that this happened and was going to the school office to find out the information. WHY did the media report this on Wednesday?. Why haven’t the police notified the school and parents about it? I am calling Durham Police for an explanation!! I am so angry that this was not made public until Wednesday.
After hearing about this failed abduction I cannot describe the amount of anger I feel right now. This incident just shows that ALL schools should be mandated by government to have cameras set up so that sick individuals like these can be put behind bars. It’s not to say that all abductions happen in front of schools but at least it would be a start. This 10 year old girl and her parents should be commended for implementing something so simple but effective.
My kids have always had a code word. Now we see that it works. Good job to you little girl for being so smart and for her parents for teaching her.
what a smart idea! WTG parents and smart gal from Ajax! now all you parents who want to protect your children – practice DUE DILIGENCE prevention DOES WORK!
After what happened in Woodstock a couple of years ago and many other places, way to go. This little girl needs to be comended for the details of the people and the car, and bieng smart enough to not go. Way to go mom and dad for setting up the code word. Other parents should follow thier lead.
This is something we were taught in public school as far back as I remember. I think grade 2 or 3. Good for the parents and the little girl for successfully implementing this evasive strategy. It should be a remind to all those who currently aren’t utilizing this method.
This ten year old girl did a wonderful job of the descriptions of both people and the car. She should be commended! She is a very lucky girl. The next one may not be. Be vigilant everyone – and teach your children. Her parents’ have taken the time and it has paid off! Good lesson for all of us.
When our two children were small, we taught them a magic word…something nobody else would say….if we truly asked someone to pick them up, they would have had to know the magic word. Please everyone….consider something like this……..unfortunately these days, there might be a need for your child to ask someone if they know the magic word, that they are never to share except with mommy and daddy and that is only in a whisper or when your alone.
I’m so proud of the little girl I don’t know her but she did a fantastic job way to go Mom and Dad you are great parents it shows in your daughters actions and I’m so glad she is now safe at home
These people must be caught and the entire city on the look out for them. These predators will not quit until they are caught or they catch what they are after. Please Toronto be vigilant at getting them behind bars before they hurt some innocent child.
The police should send a letter to all Durham schools to be aware. I called my kids school whose school is close by and unfortunately they hadn’t heard. Create awareness and remind our kids as well. Luckily this little girl is with her parents. I hope those individuals are identified and go to jail.
I’m a parent at nearby Roberta Bondar, we also received letters about this.
Two letters actually – one in my JKs backpack and one with my Grade 3.
we got a letter sent home with the police report and some tips on what to tell your children and they notified us in person at Boys and Girls CLub when picking up the kids and we are on the other side of town.