On the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 17 an officer with the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Uniform Patrol Branch took a report of an attempted abduction that was said to have taken place in the evening hours of Monday, Sept. 16.
The 29-year-old female complainant called 911 to report two men in a vehicle attempted to abduct her on the Tuesday evening. In her statement she said she was walking eastbound on Red River Road heading toward the Clarkson Street bus stop when an SUV pulled up near her and near the sidewalk.
She told police males from the vehicle asked if she wanted a ride, and when she refused they exited the vehicle in an attempt to aggressively insist she accept their offer. She also told police she eventually caught a bus at the Clarkson Street stop, at which point she noticed the men in the SUV follow her to her destination.
The investigation became a major case for the Criminal Investigations Branch. As part of that investigation an appeal was made to the public for witnesses or anyone with video in the area to come forward.
Following the thorough collection and examination of evidence, which included video footage in the areas where the alleged incident was said to have taken place, investigators were able to determine the statement provided to police was false.
As a result officers formally charged a 29-year-old Thunder Bay woman with Public Mischief in the evening hours of Friday, Sept. 20. She was given a promise to appear with a future court date.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public that false reports can be subject to criminal charges. Cases of attempted abduction are taken seriously and such investigations can be a significant drain on police investigative resources.
In this particular case the 911 call was made during a time when officers were dealing with a high call volume.
The police service is also asking the public to be cautious and consider avoiding sharing claims on social media that are unverified by official sources. Personal accounts online may contain false or embellished facts, which can lead to unnecessary panic within the community.