The report from a young boy of a suspicious person in Mattawa has the local OPP detachment seeking more information about the interaction.
At approximately 9:05am this morning, officers from the Mattawa Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police responded to the complaint. Officers went to a school in Mattawa to speak to a student and his parent.
The investigation revealed that, at approximately 8:40am, a 9-year-old male child was walking on Henry Street, near Lily Street, in Mattawa. A pickup truck was parked on the side of the road with a driver inside. The driver rolled down his window and offered the child $10 to help him get unstuck.
The child replied that he did not talk to strangers and kept walking.
The driver can be described as a male wearing a sunglasses and balaclava that was pulled down to his eyes. The vehicle was described as a dark grey pickup truck.
Acting Staff Sergeant Bill McMullen, Detachment Commander of the North Bay OPP, states, “Mattawa OPP is looking to identify the driver of the vehicle. We are hoping that the driver will come forward to police on his own, but, if anyone has any information about this incident, please notify the OPP.”
Police wish to remind parents to speak to their children about strangers:
- Talk to your child about safe grown-ups in their lives: teachers, neighbours, or grandparents.
- If someone makes them feel unsafe, advise your children they can “yell and tell”. Yell “help” and then find a safe grown-up.
- Create a safe word with your child. If the person doesn’t know the safe word, then the child can’t leave with that person.
- Let children know that it’s okay to say “no” to a stranger or to anyone that makes them feel uncomfortable.
