Niagara Regional Police say a reported abduction attempt in Jordan was “fabricated.”
Police say they were called to the area of King and Nineteenth streets just after 10:30 Tuesday morning for a report of an attempted abduction of a 16-year-old boy by a possibly armed suspect.
Officers located the uninjured teenager and a stolen vehicle nearby.
The suspect was described as a man wearing black clothing, including a black toque and COVID-19 mask, with thick, brown glasses.
Schools in the area were asked to institute their safety protocols until the area was deemed safe at about 12:40 p.m.
Police now say the teenager is believed to have stolen the “suspect” vehicle from a location in Haldimand County on Monday and later stolen gas from a station in St. Catharines.
The 16-year-old is charged with public mischief, theft of a motor vehicle and theft under $5,000.