Timmins, Ontario Police receive 3 reports of attempted abduction over the weekend

Police are investigating three reported incidents of attempted abduction — two within the community of Schumacher.

They are being treated as three separate incidents.

“We’re not able to establish a link between the three, as of yet,” said Marc Depatie, head of communications for the Timmins Police Service

Police received a report of the first incident on Saturday shortly after 2 p.m.

“A woman is alleged to have been forced in the back of a car,” Depatie told The Daily Press. “Vehicle descriptors were received by the investigating officers. The matter is now under the coordination of the criminal investigation division here at the Timmins Police Service.”

The incident is reported to have occurred on Grant Street in Schumacher.

“It’s a serious matter,” said Depatie. “It’s being given the appropriate attention it deserves in terms of deployed resources and a canvass of the area and further scrutiny of available video evidence of that area.”

The second reported incident, also in Schumacher, is alleged to have occurred later that same day.

“A luring incident is alleged to have happened in Schumacher at approximately 6:30 p.m.,” said Depatie.

A Schumacher man told The Daily Press males in a “black sports car” approached his 20-year-old developmentally challenged son and invited him into their vehicle. The father said the car had a decal or sticker on the side of depicting the Monster energy drink logo.

Depatie noted this incident was posted on Facebook and reported to police six hours after the fact.

“The sooner we have information, the better we are able to respond and complete a more successful investigation,” said Depatie.

“Our message here can’t be clearer: Suspicious activity of any kind involving the safety of a child has to be reported to the Timmins Police Service without delay. Posting it on Facebook, mulling it over, do not serve the best interests of the community; they do not serve the best interests of those persons who are at risk of these types of criminal behaviours.”

A third incident was reported the following day.

Depatie said, on Sunday, police received a report alleging that on “Highway 101 between Timmins and South Porcupine … some form of disturbance was taking place within a vehicle and the complainant reports that a person was in the back seat of the vehicle with bag over their head.

“A thorough description was provided to police and it was provided in a timely fashion. Despite that, the vehicle was not located and this matter is remains under investigation by the criminal investigations division of the Timmins Police Service.”

On Monday, TPS issued an advisory about “spurious posts” on Facebook causing anxiety and panic in the community.

“These matters are serious matters and they are being treated as such and being investigated with the applicable and appropriate deployment of resources,” Depatie told The Daily Press.

“But what’s hampering us in the investigation is the idea that people are posting without foundation, surmising information or opinion rather than fact. And these spurious posts only serve to increase the anxiety in the community.

“At this point none of these events have migrated to a point where we are able to determine there is in fact a missing person linked to any of these events. Furthermore, investigation has shown that no person has sought treatment for injuries stemming from any of these incidents either.”

Depatie said the investigation into these matters continues.

However, he added, “Residents are urged to use good judgment and a healthy amount of discretion when receiving information about alleged criminal activity from unofficial sources.

“That said, the Timmins Police Service continues to deploy appropriate resources in regards to these matters, including, but not limited to, a thorough review of video surveillance material in the affected areas, and an increased police presence as part of their general patrols.”