Peterborough police seek man they say ‘scooped’ up toddler at park

Police are looking for a suspect who reportedly try to take a girl from a park in Peterborough, Ont., on Sunday afternoon.

Peterborough police say around noon a mother and her toddler were in a south-end park in the area of Lock and McKellar streets when a man engaged in conversation. He reportedly then began to follow the pair.

Police say a few minutes later he “scooped up the girl” and started walking to the parking lot.

The mother began yelling, prompting another man and a woman nearby to confront the suspect. The man put the girl down and left the area and was last seen walking north toward Lansdowne Street.

The suspect is described as being 65 to 70 years old with a thin build and short grey and white hair. He was wearing a blue and grey plaid button-up short-sleeved shirt, and oversized khaki cargo pants.

Police are looking to speak with the man and woman who intervened and with anyone else who may have witnessed the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call 705-876-1122 ext. 555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca