SCHOOLS in Tarneit are strengthening safety precautions after a teenage girl was almost dragged into a car while waiting for a bus.
The 15-year-old Tarneit Senior Secondary College student was at a bus stop on June 13 when she was approached by a man who tried to abduct her.
Principal Michael Fawcett said the incident had prompted the school to reinforce security and drive home a strong message to students and families.
“She was approached and comments were made by a stranger,” he said. “She told him where to go, but it was a pretty traumatic experience for her.”
Mr Fawcett said the incident had caused concern among Tarneit schools including Tarneit Senior Secondary, Tarneit P-9 College and Baden Powell College’s Tarneit campus.
He said there had been a “dramatic increase” in parents driving students to and from school following the incident.
Extra staff wearing high-visibility vests have also been put on patrol around schools in the Tarneit area.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Johnston said police had spoken with the girl and her mother.
“We encourage young people to be vigilant when they’re travelling to and from schools and encourage the schools to be vigilant as well,” he said.
“We’re always interested in information related to incidents like these; we like to be on the front foot.”
Sergeant Johnston said stranger-danger concerns around schools in the Tarneit area were “not uncommon” due to the concentration of development and construction nearby.
The incident follows an attempted abduction in Greensborough, where an 11-year-old girl was grabbed and dragged towards a van on her way to school before she kicked her would-be abductor and escaped.
