Elderly man who tried to snatch child away from family arrested in Portsmouth bookmakers

Officers rushed to the scene in Commercial Road at 11.56am on Saturday morning. One eyewitness said the male was handcuffed and put in the back of a police transit vehicle. Three other police vehicles were spotted in the area.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesman said: “It was reported that a man approached a family in suspicious circumstances before grabbing hold of one of their children. The man was challenged by the parents before leaving the area.

"The child was uninjured.” Attending officers made the arrest inside the Coral bookmakers in Edinburgh Road. “The 72-year-old was arrested on suspicion of taking a child so as to remove them from a person having lawful control,” police added.

“He remains in custody at this time.” Anyone with who wishes to report a crime can contact police on 101 or online.