Police in Chippenham arrested a man for attempted kidnap, urging the public to stop sharing a photo of an unrelated suspect.
Chippenham: Police are looking into reports of children approached by unknown men. They arrested a man for attempted kidnap in a local incident.
However, police want to stop the spread of a photo of a man wrongly identified as a suspect. They confirmed he is not connected to the case.
After the arrest, police asked the Chippenham community to avoid speculation. Two incidents occurred on January 29 and 30, but they are not linked.
On February 1, officers arrested a 52-year-old man from Chippenham. He was taken into custody for questioning about an incident on Union Road.
A 14-year-old girl was approached by a man in a car offering her a lift. This happened around 8:30 am on Thursday morning.
The first incident involved a 12-year-old boy approached by a stranger the day before. This occurred near Woodlands Road and Downing Street.
Detective Inspector Penny Andrews emphasized the seriousness of both incidents. She noted the community’s concern and the need for accurate information.
Extra police patrols are ongoing in the area. They are also in touch with local schools to provide reassurance to parents and students.
Andrews urged the public to stop sharing the photo of the unrelated man. She asked anyone with information about the incidents to contact the police.
