-
DNA samples taken in Dordogne murder case of Briton Karen Carter
Police hope to eliminate suspects in case of retired teacher found stabbed outside her home
-
Elaborate ‘fake payment’ SMS scam in France - how to protect yourself
Some victims say scammers arrive at their home
-
Video: flash floods hit communes near Paris – alerts continue
Streets and cars submerged and residents evacuated
Police warn of potential teenager abduction attempts in Haute-Savoie
Pupils from schools in the area have been approached by an individual and asked to get into his vehicle

Several teenagers in Haute-Savoie have been approached by a man asking them to get into his vehicle, Annecy’s public prosecution service has warned.
“Over the course of the last two weeks, incidents of a similar nature have been brought to the attention of the Haute-Savoie gendarmerie,” the service said in a statement released alongside Grenoble’s prefecture.
“On several occasions, an individual appears to have suggested that pupils get into his vehicle, without trying to force them,” the statement added. The incidents all happened near schools in the area.
An investigation has been opened and the maison de protection des familles family liaison department in the town of Annemasse is working to “welcome families, assist in gathering the children’s testimonies and analysing the facts.”
The public prosecution service has assured that currently “no link exists between the different reports” and that initial enquiries into one incident have led to the formal identification of a driver who “did not have malicious intentions.”
It also said that one of the reports was later proven to be erroneous.
However, “a widespread monitoring and surveillance system has been deployed by the gendarmerie, under the authority of Haute-Savoie’s prefect and in conjunction with the director of departmental education services and school headteachers.”
The statement also appealed to parents and children to be vigilant with regards to “potentially suspicious behaviour, especially in close proximity to places frequented by young people.
“If in doubt, it is important to report incidents immediately to the gendarmerie or the police by ringing 17, and not to spread rumours which could compromise the search for the truth.”
Related stories
Burglaries, scams, attacks: how crime rates vary across France
French police investigate after attack by escaped ‘Pyrenees cannibal’
Warning over scammers pretending to be from French finance ministry