Tot snatched from mum's arms weeks after identical attack as cops hunt suspect

03 August 2023 , 19:44

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A child was snatched from mum’s arms by abductor on Rose Street in Oldham

Police are urgently seeking an abductor who snatched a child from their mother's arms on a residential street.

The tot, whose gender has not been disclosed by police, suffered minor injuries after the man grabbed them and let go. He then fled the scene leaving the mother horrified on Saturday.

She was holding her child in her arms as she walked along a residential road in Oldham, Greater Manchester, near a tram stop between 9pm and 10pm on Saturday. The abductor swooped and snatched the kid, officers say.

A similar incident occurred in the same area last month which, again, is thought to have caused distress in the area, a largely working-class neighbourhood comprised mostly of young families.

Since Saturday's horror, patrols have increased in the vicinity, with beat officers and PCSO’s monitoring the area closely. Greater Manchester Police (GMP), though, are appealing for witnesses or any further information. They're hoping to speak to a man who is described as Asian, of medium build, with dark clothing and dark shoes. He had a Nike tick on his jumper and was wearing a balaclava, with the bottom part of his face on show.

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Detective Sergeant Scott Deakin, from GMP’s Oldham district, said: "This was an incredibly distressing incident for the mother and her child, and we are determined to bring about justice for them.

"I want to reassure the public that we are looking at all of the evidence available to us, and we are putting all the necessary resources into the investigation. We remain in contact with the mother to share updates when we receive them.

"We are asking for anyone with any information – or doorbell, dashcam, or CCTV footage – to please come forward. We are interested in speaking to anyone who may have been in the area of Rose Street and the South Chadderton tram stop between 9 and 10pm on the day.

"You can get in touch with police by calling 101 or 0161 856 8999, quoting log number 4018 of 29/07/23." Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Bradley Jolly