It's a terrifying fact that in some parts of the world, instances of child-snatching are surprisingly high. In most cases, however, you would expect the crime to take place in the dead of night, in an attempt to not draw any unwanted attention.
This week, a video emerged of an incident of an apparent attempted kidnapping in Taiwan, committed in the middle of the day. CCTV footage showed images from the Neihu district in Taiwanese capital Taipei, in which one mother was walking home with her seven-year-old daughter. That's when a complete stranger reached out and tried to snatch the little girl by her rucksack.
The suspect, reportedly known locally as Chou, can be seen standing outside a restaurant before the commotion stats, potentially waiting for them to pass. Once he grabs the girl, her mother desperately tries to fight him off and get her daughter to safety. Fortunately, other people in the area notice and attempt to intervene, leading to the culprit fleeing the scene.
You can watch shocking footage in the video below:
Thankfully, police from the Dahu precinct confirmed that while the mother and daughter were both shaken, neither had suffered any injuries.
According to authorities, the attacker later claimed it was down to mistaken identity, asserting that he had mistkaen the mother and child for someone he knew. Chou is said to be a licensed lifeguard working as an instructor at a nearby public swimming pool. Since this incident, he has been fired from this job, and detained on forcible compulsion charges.
