Recently I’ve seen the following message posted on several status updates on Facebook from Teesside all the way up to Newcastle

PLEASE KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE, DO NOT LET THEM WALK ANYWERE ALONE, TO SCHOOL OR TO CORNER SHOP BECAUSE SOME BASTARD IS GOING AROUND TRYING TO PICK KIDS UP OFF OUR STREETS HE IS SAID TO BE WHITE, AGED 40-45 WITH A LOCAL NORTH EAST ACCENT. HE DRIVING A SMALL WHITE VAN WITH BLACKED OUT WINDOWS ON THE REAR DOORS. COPY N PASTE TO YOUR PROFILE SO YOUR FRIENDS CAN READ IT

Being the old cynic that I am, I imedintaly smelt a rat. The warning has all the hall marks of a fake, it’s all in uppercase, it has now details, of a time and a place, and advises people to ‘Copy n paste‘ it.

After a little bit of research a found the story in the Hartlepool Mail and it seems it is true that a van driver twice approached children asking them if they wanted a lift (but didn’t leave the vehicle) on Friday 9th October in Hartlepool.

I just wish people when posting (and reposting) this sort of warning that they provide this sort of information, link to the source, and write it in readable English.