Crime & Safety

Police: 5-Year Old Fabricated Story About Man Offering Candy

An April 23 report describing attempted child luring put some parents on edge.

Manalapan Police report that an April 23 investigation into a possible case of attempted luring of a 5-year old by an old man with candy has wrapped up. 

The young boy fabricated the entire story, police say. 

On Wednesday, Manalapan Police responded to a report of an attempted luring of a child on Symmes Drive around 6:16 p.m. 

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They heard a story that an old man with bald or white hair, described as similar in age to a grandfather, was walking by when he stopped to offer candy to a five year-old boy in the front yard. The child then ran inside and alerted his parents. 

Ptl. Richard Gallo handled the initial investigation.

Find out what's happening in Manalapanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But a follow-up investigation revealed that the young boy had fabricated the entire story, police say. 

A Manalapan Police Facebook post entitled "Important: Attempted Child Luring" was shared 318 times and drew comments by frightened parents about "stranger danger."

But at least two people expressed doubt about the story of the candy-proffering old man. 

"This sounds too cliche to be true," said Facebook user Benjamin Ross. 


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