Belleville police have wrapped up an investigation into reports of two people trying to take photos of children in parks, and have also issued a caution to the public on “hyper-vigilance.”
Police were contacted on July 2 about what was called suspicious activity of two people, who did not have children of their own, yet were trying to take selfies with children.
A statement issued by the Belleville Police Service on Thursday, indicates, “Social media posts regarding the matter have led to conflicting stories about what occurred. The Belleville Police Service police want it clearly understood that there is no indication from the complainant that anyone had attempted to abduct any child contrary to social media reports.”
Police say the two parties whose photo was posted to social media were cooperative and detectives do not believe their intentions were criminal. “On Thursday, the 5th of July, the two parties whose photo was posted on social media reached out to the Belleville Police Service and identified themselves. “Detectives spoke to the parties who were fully cooperative. ”
“They have been spoken to and now understand how their interactions could be seen as concerning.”
The police statement also says “The police service commends our community for being vigilant about their surroundings, but want to caution members of our community that hyper-vigilance can cause significant attention to groups or individuals when misinformation is relayed via social media.”
