Kidnapping Scheme--Urban Legend?

[RetroMousie]

An acquaintance of my daughter, upon learning that my daughter frequently visits Disneyland with her young children, warned her that there have been 'numerous' occasions of people kidnapping small children from Disneyland using the following ruse...
They buy or bring a change of clothing, select the child of their choice, when parents backs are turned snatch child, change their clothing to hide their identity, leave the Park with them. If the child is screaming/crying they keep repeating (loudly to child and onlookers) "No, (insert any name), we have to go now, but we'll be back soon". or some platitude.
Now, I had never heard of such a thing, and assured my daughter that this must just be an Urban Legend...of course to really be a 'legend' one would probably have heard it before.
Any thoughts on this? Have you heard of this rumour before? Is it a well known Urban Legend? Is it scrambled from a factual but non-criminal event? Is my daughter's acquaintance a pot-stirring nut job??

[Hyperbole]

Total urban legend: http://snopes.com/horrors/parental/kidnap.asp

Although I do remember one person who joined MC about a year ago who tried to pretend like she KNEW someone this happened to. She was called on it, and promptly left the board.

[tahoebob54]

Is my daughter's acquaintance a pot-stirring nut job??

Yes she is

[I Heart Disneyland]

Ah yes, the old kidnapping story! Urban Legend all the way!

[Zeus]

I'm sure kidnappings have been attempted a few times, but serously with my major in Psychology I've learned that the mind of those who would kidnap a child or an adult or anybody in that matter is afraid of large crowds and would never do such a thing in a public place...but thats just what I've learned, who knows..It's probably been tried but I've never heard any actual news stories of this happening...But I doubt even if it did happen Disney would let this info out

[brassplayer]

Snopes.com is a great debunker of urban legends. Everyone should at least do a quick search there before forwarding chain letters, etc.

[I Heart Disneyland]

Snopes.com is a great debunker of urban legends. Everyone should at least do a quick search there before forwarding chain letters, etc.

Amen on that one! I got one about ATMs and how if you use your PIN backward it summons the police. I work at a bank...it's not gonna happen if you try it!!!

[pineapplewhipaddict]

Nut job.

Some people like to focus on the negative, don't trust ANYTHING they don't know and thus drive themselves crazy. A few of my relatives do that.

It's not like the possibility doesn't exist, but trying to kidnap a child in a very busy area where other people can see is a foolish thing, in any place. A Kidnapper would want no one to be around, because a child can scream "help".

Also, I'm not sure if any of you recall, but there were criminals with sexual charges placed against them, and many were re-located to within 10 miles of Disneyland. When news teams found out, it was a huge story...and quickly the police re-located them again because of the outcry.

[DLandFansAZ]

Amen on that one! I got one about ATMs and how if you use your PIN backward it summons the police. I work at a bank...it's not gonna happen if you try it!!!

But what if it did work and your pin was 5555?

Sorry, back on topic, NOPE NEVER HAPPENED!

[DisneyDude2006]

Man, I have heard this so many times. Heres the link with this scenario:
http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/parks.asp#kidnap

This will take you to the MAIN page, just look down the list and You'll see the kidnapping thing.

[SpokkerJones]

This happened to a friend of mine, no joke.

[Katprint]

I'm sure kidnappings have been attempted a few times, but serously with my major in Psychology I've learned that the mind of those who would kidnap a child or an adult or anybody in that matter is afraid of large crowds and would never do such a thing in a public place...but thats just what I've learned, who knows..It's probably been tried but I've never heard any actual news stories of this happening...But I doubt even if it did happen Disney would let this info out

If it had happened at Disneyland, I don't see how they would keep the parents from going to the police, the media, etc. But I agree with you that it is unlikely.

The REAL kidnappings seem to follow the pattern of: Kids are walking home from school in mid-afternoon; kidnapper tails a single, isolated child while driving his van/pickup with camper shell; child walks down empty residential street where all adults at work; kidnapper 1) entices the child into his vehicle or overpowers the child and pulls the child into his vehicle and speeds away, or 2) watches what house the child enters then comes back at night to break into the child's room while the family is asleep.

Katprint

[Loomis]

I'm not so sure. I went to Disneyland a few years ago, and I think someone kidnapped my free will.

Now all I do is plan trips to get back there. It's diabolical!

[Mickey Dude]

I would think it would be pretty hard to do it with all the CM's and security guards around the park...and come on ill bet they even have undercover security guards there its disney. I've never heard of it but it does sound like an urban legend

[DisneyDude2006]

This happened to a friend of mine, no joke.

Care to tell?