SA police defend ‘considered decision’ not to alert public to alleged attempted abduction

South Australia’s police commissioner has defended a decision not to alert the public to a frightening alleged attempted abduction in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.

Barry Peter Smith was on the run for nearly 24 hours after allegedly trying to snatch a child.

But parents in the area were not told about the incident until after his arrest.

The alleged attempted abduction at 7pm on Monday saw officers arrest Smith the following night.

But it wasn’t until Wednesday morning that the public was alerted.

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Shock at the alleged crime has turned to anger as parents demand answers for why there was no public information until after the arrest.

“It makes me feel sick to my stomach and being so close, living across the road and children were there, from morning to night,” resident Laura Walker said.

“I just think that’s too long, anything could have happened to that child, another child.

“That’s just wrong, you can’t do that, we need to know.”

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens on Friday defended the decision but would not elaborate on why parents were not told.

“The decision not to make any public statement was not just one of oversight or neglect, it was a considered decision,” he said.

“I think we all, rightly, fear for the safety of young children … there were legitimate operational reasons that resulted in the decision not to make a public statement concerning the incident.”

Smith lived only streets away from the park where police allege he was caught on security cameras watching the two young girls before the attack.

Smith will be back in court next week, where he could be released on home detention bail.