British holidaymakers have been moved after a child-snatching gang trying to lure youngsters into cars allegedly struck at a Thomas Cook resort in Cyprus. Thomas Cook told ITV News that around 50 people were put in different hotels following the incident at the Anastasia Beach Hotel in Protaras on June 16. A witness said a couple led two young children towards a waiting car and another person had a "third child up against a wall ready to go, too". It was reported that those involved were dressed as hotel staff. "Someone spotted what they were up to and stopped them - if he hadn't been there, those kids would have gone," Greg Letford said in an interview with the Daily Record. The Foreign Office said it was a "concerning incident" and confirmed it had provided assistance to a British family. A Thomas Cook spokesperson said: We immediately deployed our experienced resort team to the property to provide those customers in residence with individual support. Customers who did not wish to stay at the property were immediately moved to alternative hotels of a similar or higher standard. While incidents of this nature are extremely rare, we would like to reassure all customers that this is being taken incredibly seriously and we are continuing to work closely with the local authorities and the hotel as the investigation continues. Any customers with concerns about future holidays at this hotel are asked to contact us directly so that we can deal with them personally and directly. – THOMAS COOK A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman told ITV News: "Our consular officers provided advice and support to the family involved following this concerning incident. "This is now a matter for the local police who are investigating." The Anastasia beach complex, on the eastern tip of Cyprus, is described on the Thomas Cook website as being a "perfect family choice".
That's ****ing horrendous! Makes me wonder if that little lad, Ben(?), who disappeared years ago in Greece, now has a Romanian or gypsy accent!
My pal lives out there, he's down that area a lot with his kids. ****ing dump of an area, all the local souvenir shops sell combat knives, flick knives and knuckle dusters as if they're normal presents to buy. Not surprised at all by this news.
Its scarey as feck to think what would have happened if these people werent intervened. Its shocking that these people so blatantly tried to take these kids out in the open. I took my lads to Menorca last year and i never took my eyes off either of them once!
Was out there last year to see my mate, the area reminds me of the 90's. There's much nicer places to visit in Cyprus. You ever heard of Varosha? That's an eerie place mate, abandoned beach resorts but the beach is still open to the public, it's actually a really nice beach but the hotels are like something out of Chernobyl, completely abandoned, apparently they're all still in the state they were left in when they were evacuated, I'd love to go inside and have a poke around.
That's why your kids won't get snatched mate and why other parents are pleading for help finding their missing children, it all boils down to stupid parenting. People fall into a trap abroad of thinking the holiday resort is some sort of secure compound where kids can roam free, you see it every time you're abroad. Easy pickings for *****'s and child traffickers.
I actually had a look at that while I was there..Everything just left as it was when people fled when Turkey invaded..There was still washing hanging on the lines!
Exactly mate, after a few Cocktails round the pool in the Sun some parents allow their parental responsibilites and kids welfare and safey to get pushed to the back on their minds !
That's the place. Places like that fascinate me, the Turks still guard it to this day but I think it's more to do with the buildings being unsafe than anything else now.
My parents used to leave me with my gran when I was growing up, whilst they went on holiday abroad, then they'd take me to somewhere like Butlins for a few days so I could have my holiday with my brothers. I don't have the best parents in the world, but they planned for getting sloshed around the pool and not having to look after me 24/7. Unfortunately, they didn't realise my gran had the worst memory and I'd end up stranded at school for hours on end waiting for nobody to pick me up
They'll be out in the streets shaking their collection box for more Maddie funds as we speak. ****ing shameless vermin.
Think you have nailed it there mate.. Kids with kids, as thick as a whale sandwich bringing children into the world. Makes me cringe personally..
"Let's go all inclusive so the kids don't have to bother us for anything and they can just **** off for the whole day without bothering us and we can top up our tans and get smashed, all day long". 24 hours later. "Please help us find our babies..." **** sake.
I used to see that in my old club. Saturday and Sunday afternoon's the kids would be running wild while the parents were getting pissed up all day, then staggering home all over the ****ing road with young'uns to look after. When I was a single dad I used to take my lads over to France, 1 four years younger than the other. That age gap meant they were into different things, usually in opposite directions! I was a ****ing gibbering wreck at the end of the holiday, and glad to be heading back to work for my holiday from holiday!
In York, that seems the norm at weekends. Quite sad really but sort of what I expected a good few years ago..
A suspect arrested over an alleged child-kidnap attempt at a hotel packed with British families had footage of their children on his mobile phone, it was claimed today. Officers were called to investigate allegations that traffickers tried to lure young children into getaway cars at the Anastasia Beach Complex in Cyprus on Tuesday. Witnesses claimed the gang had been filming the youngsters and swimming with them in the pool for about a week while pretending to be hotel employees. Tour operator Thomas Cook since moved 16 families to another hotel and helped two others fly back to the UK after panic spread through the resort. The Foreign Office described it as a 'concerning incident' and said it had provided consular assistance to a British family. Father-of-two James Down today told MailOnline how he apprehended the suspect after spotting him lurking around the resort and talking to children. He claimed to have found footage of children on the man's phone before handing him over to police. The wind turbine engineer, who was holidaying with his wife, Ashleigh, 29, and two daughters - two-year-old Fia-Leigh and eight-month-old Mila-Jo - said: 'He'd been on the beach talking to some children and then we saw him by the pool. 'At one point, he asked me for cigarette. A man called Bill and another from Northern Ireland then came over to me as we noticed he'd slipped round the corner. 'At which point, we saw him kneeling down with a cigarette in his mouth talking to a child. 'I got him by the scruff of the neck and took him to the hotel reception and asked him what he was doing. 'Upon confiscating his phone, it was evident that he had been photographing and videoing children around the entertainment stage. It was mainly just children. 'There were rumours he had also been asking children up to his room. I was absolutely livid.' The former soldier said a woman he believed to be an accomplice walked into the hotel shortly afterwards to try to speak to the suspect, but left when she saw the commotion. The 30-year-old, from Newcastle, added: 'We shouted at her and she started running, so I ran after her and grabbed her. 'As I was running up the street, I saw a pick-up truck which had its engine running and a saloon car. 'Some of our group tried to run after the vehicles, but they drove off. I think they were traffickers.' please log in to view this image +3 Panic: A gang disguised as waiters have been caught trying to abduct British children at the Anastasia Beach Complex in Cyprus (above). They were intercepted as they lured the youngsters in awaiting cars He said the two suspects were handed over to police as furious parents gathered in the foyer demanding answers. 'Everyone was panicked. One of the police officers pulled a gun out on the crowd as a warning to stay back,' he added. 'From what we thought was going to be a lovely first family holiday has been absolutely shattered by this event.' Mr Down demanded Thomas Cook to move him to a different hotel that night and he flew back to the UK last night. Guests believe the gang of around ten men had been scoping out the hotel for the last week while disguised as waiters. Father-of-two Greg Letford, who was part of a wedding party from Dundee, said: 'Some of them were wearing staff outfits so they could blend in more easily. It was really scary.' He said the alleged traffickers targeted the victims on Tuesday night. He told The Daily Recordhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ing-cars-disguised-waiters.html#ixzz3dQy2fo3w Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
