Philippine Newspapers - Philippine Asian News Today

The Richmond School District has distributed a letter and a tip sheet to parents outlining how to keep their children safe, after the RCMP issued a warning yesterday about a possible kidnapping in the Vancouver suburb. Richmond RCMP on Tues­day said they received informa­tion that an Asian student may be kidnapped from an elemen­tary school over the next several weeks. They did not release de­tails on where the threat came from.

The letter from the school board urges parents to be “ex­tra vigilant, communicate with your children, and educate them on safety tips such as walking in groups and in well-lit, high-traffic areas ... the RCMP also advises that children should yell, scream, and do whatever they can do to get the attention of passers-by if approached by a stranger.”

The letter suggested children walk to school with an adult and not another child. One parent, who was dropping her children off at Manoah Steves Elementary School, said she wouldn’t be changing her be­haviour. “We always walk our kids to school. We are careful regard­less,” said Krista Lof. Several parents interviewed by CBC News near the school said they would reinforce what they have already told their children. Richmond RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Pound said it is not the intention of the RCMP to instill fear with the warning.