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Boy chased by strangers in Beckenham while walking home from school as Met Police launch hunt for suspects in black van
17:49, 04 May 2021
updated: 18:30, 04 May 2021
A young boy was approached by two strangers in a van as police investigate a suspected abduction attempt.
The child, aged 11, was walking home from school in Beckenham when the small black van pulled up alongside him in Whitmore Road on Friday afternoon.
The victim reported two men asked him if he wanted a lift and was followed when he ran off.
He ran into a nearby park and spotted two men in a tennis court and ran and told them he was being chased.
The suspects are reported to have fled the scene and the boy ran home to alert his parents.
Police were called at 4.40pm and the boy was not physically harmed but is said to have been left very shaken by the incident, a Met spokesman said.
Officers attended the family's home on Sunday and have promised the community the incident will be thoroughly investigated.
Supt Andy Brittain, from the Met's South Area BCU, said: “I fully acknowledge our initial response was not sufficient given the extremely worrying circumstances of this incident.
"The matter was reviewed and detectives are carrying out further investigation which remains ongoing.
"CCTV of the area is currently being reviewed to identify any possible suspects. Detectives have been in touch with the boy’s parents to update them on the investigation so far, and will continue to keep them informed of any developments.
“I want to reassure the boy’s parents and the wider community that this incident is being fully investigated to establish the full circumstances of what happened.”
The suspects are described as white - one about 5ft 10ins tall and the other about 6ft tall.
Witnesses who might have seen anything are being urged to come forward to help police with inquiries, especially the two men playing tennis who the boy ran to for help.
No arrests have been made and the investigation is being led by the Met's South Area Command Unit CID.
Anyone with information, or who saw the victim pursued by two males, should call police on 101 quoting reference Cad 5322/30Apr.
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