One day, as I was walking to elementary school, someone- a stranger- tried to snatch me. He only didn't succeed because my mother had told me to "be polite and say no thank you" to anyone I didn't know who offered me something. In this case, it was candy.
In the 40 years hence, I have run into *countless* people who told me a similar story. I believe, from my own life experience, attempted stranger abductions are more common than even the FBI knows, at least back in the 60s, 70s, when there was far less media awareness. Mine was never reported. My point is I wonder how often even these days kids don't tell their parents about someone creepy, who tries to suss them out. I never told until I was an adult & realized how close a call that was on my life. Just saying.
I was almost kidnapped. Twice. One time I was four and my mom watched me walk down the street to the neighbor's house to play with the six girls who lived there. She couldn't see me walk to the door because their garage blocked her view. But I didn't reemerge so she figured I went in.
Unbeknownst to her, I sat on the porch and thought I'd wait and they'd come home. I remember that.
After what seemed an eternity, I gave up and went to the sidewalk to walk past the four houses between mine and the girls. But there was a man in a station wagon on the street. Staring at me. He then pulled into the driveway next door, blocking me from going through on the sidewalk. He stared. Saying nothing.
I felt weird.
He then backed out and backed up the street as I walked past. He stared. He then pulled into the next driveway and stared again. Blocking the sidewalk so I couldn't go past.
He did this three times and then after reversing while staring at me as I got to the yard between my house and the neighbor's, he held up an empty candy jar and asked if wanted any candy and to get in his car.
I had a sense of dread but just stood there and couldn't move.
At the same time my mom was inside doing laundry. True story, she suddenly bolted up with fear, gasped, "Anna!" and ran out the door, finding me standing there frozen with a man in a car talking to me. She yelled at me, grabbed me, threw me inside, turned on the tv, told me to sit there, locked the door and chased the dude, in her little VW. She got his licenses nd came back home.
He was apprehended. We went to the police station and I got a lollipop. (Which I remember. That was exciting.).
My mom tells me that he had priors for molesting kids but he got away with it by saying he only asked me to lift my skirt (I guess that was okay on the 70's?) and did not try to get me in his car. So he wasn't charged.
I think he would've killed me if he got me in his car.
On another occasion when I was 11 a man approached me and two friends on the street and said he was looking for his "lost dog" and could we help him! One friend seemed about to. Me and one other knew he was a perv and screamed "run!" And we did.
Despite these experiences I actually think the stats as to successful stranger abductions are accurate and it remains quite rare!