Police hunt masked stranger who tried to snatch two-year-old girl from her pram

Police hunt masked stranger who tried to snatch two-year-old girl from her pram after chatting to mother, 25

  • Mother, 25, approached by man in 40s while on walk with two-year-old daughter 
  • She said the man touched her daughter’s face and tried to pull her out her pram 
  • Incident took place in Eastrop Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire, on Thursday 
  • Police have released a description of the man and are appealing for witnesses

A stranger wearing a white mask attempted to abduct a toddler from her pushchair, sparking a man hunt. 

A 25-year-old mother was walking with her two-year-old daughter in a pram when they were approached by a man they didn’t know in Eastrop Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire. 

He began chatting with the mother before trying to take the young child out of the chair on Thursday afternoon.  

A mother, 25, was walking in Eastrop Park, Basingstoke, Hants (pictured), when a man approached them and tried to take her two-year-old out of her pushchair

Sharing a post on Facebook about the ‘traumatic events’ which took place, she said the park was her daughter’s ‘favourite place. 

The mother said the man touched her child’s face before wrapping his arms around her and attempting to pull her out. 

She claims he then tried to push the mother out of the way to take the pram. 

The man has been described as being around 5ft 6ins, black and in his 40s. He is also said to be stocky with black hair and beard and moustache.  

The mother shared the 'traumatic events' on Facebook and warned other mothers to be careful when walking with their children

The mother shared the ‘traumatic events’ on Facebook and warned other mothers to be careful when walking with their children

He was described as wearing a white mask, a royal blue puffa jacket, grey jeans and white trainers. 

The mother issued a warning to other mothers: ‘To all mums walking on their own with their babies please be careful and cautious. 

‘Hold that pram or their hands tightly and be cautious of who follows you as I believe I saw this man in town in one of the shops I had visited.

‘If my daughter was able to walk or wasn’t wearing her snow suit this could of ended very differently today.’

Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. 

A Hampshire Police spokesman said: ‘Were you in the area at the time, perhaps you saw or heard something? Do you recognise the man in this description?’