“Important: Unproven stories that appear on Facebook, TikTok or Twitter should not be trusted.”
That’s the message from Coquitlam RCMP, which said in a news release that its officers have seen a “growing number of social media rumours about abduction attempts and aggression towards women in the Tri Cities area,” said a news release. “Some of the ‘reports’ say that a white van, or another suspicious vehicle, followed a woman and thus the driver was attempting an abduction.”
Coquitlam RCMP has received one official report and seen several other online posts, said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin.
“We have an open mind, but so far there is no evidence to support that any abduction attempt has actually happened,” McLaughlin said. “If we see any real risk, we will let the public know. In the meantime, we are asking you to stop spreading unproven rumours. Those rumours are scaring people.
“We’ve seen people drawing connections between situations and investigations that are completely unrelated and encouraging each other to carry weapons as a result. Please don’t carry weapons, and don’t try to draw conclusions about crimes based on very basic information.”
Police said in a news release there are many reasons that a vehicle might drive slowly in their neighbourhood.
Anyone who is concerned about personal safety can follow these guidelines:
- Be alert and aware of your surroundings
- Avoid distractions (like your phone and earbuds) while you are walking or driving
- Avoid confrontations over driving behaviour or parking spots
- Wear bright clothing and obey traffic safety laws
- Walk with family or in pairs when in isolated areas
- Call police immediately if you feel unsafe or see a crime in progress
If you think you have been the victim of an abduction attempt, or you think you saw one, call your police of jurisdiction right away. The Coquitlam RCMP non-emergency number is open at 604-945-1550. Report any crime in progress to 911.
