Peterborough Police Look For Suspect In Attempted Abduction
PETERBOROUGH, N.H. (CBS) -- In a small New Hampshire town, police are looking for a man who tried to handcuff a boy at a school bus stop.
Peterborough Police Chief Scott Guinard says the man approached a 10-year-old boy who was waiting at the stop for an older sibling, along with his 6-year-old sister. The chief says the man first offered the children money. Then, he commented on the boy's rubber bracelet and tried to grab it.
"The boy was able to pull away," says Guinard. "At that point in time, the stranger pulled out what the children describe as a pair of toy handcuffs and again reached over as if he were going to apply the handcuffs to the boy."
The chief says the boy knocked the cuffs out out of the man's hands and on to the ground, grabbed his little sister, and ran home.
Parents who have children at Peterborough public schools were notified by automated telephone calls.
"My 12-year-old will no longer be going to the bus stop alone," says Virginia DeChaine. "It's scary that it happened right down the road," says here neighbor Ashleigh Starr.
Many reviewed with their children lessons on how to react if a stranger approaches.
"On our way home we talked about how you don't talk to strangers and if a stranger approaches you what to do, that you scream for help and run away," says Sheena Baldwin.
Police say the man is about 6 feet tall, 60 years old, with grey hair and beard. He was wearing a cowboy hat and spoke in a deep, gravely voice.
