All-clear from the police

All-clear for reports of child abductions

Symbolic image

(Bild: LPD Wien)

In recent weeks, the police have repeatedly received reports of possible child abductions in Styria. However, these reports turned out to be false during the investigations - the Styrian authorities have issued an all-clear.  

Rumors of unknown people trying to lure children, usually in white vans, have been circulating repeatedly on social networks. A new wave of such messages started a few weeks ago in Burgenland and spread from there to Styria and Carinthia.

However, the Styrian police have given the all-clear for these reports, which have been on the rise recently. Heimo Kohlbacher, spokesman for the Styrian Provincial Police Directorate, emphasizes: "Of course we always follow up such reports, but at the moment we are assuming that they are fake news. The investigations have not revealed anything else."

Police spokesman Heimo Kohlbacher gives the all-clear for Styria.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The main problem is that such messages are shared and spread unfiltered on the internet - regardless of whether the source of the information is known. It is important to educate children about the topic and raise their awareness, but not to panic them.