Predators who prey on children are not often caught on camera, but when we do become privy to their behaviours, it gets all too real.

Take this video, below, for example, which has recently gone viral. In it, we see a man take a child right from under his parents’ nose.

The incident occurred at Spur in Johannesburg on November 1, 2016. The woman whose child was taken (and who wants to remain anonymous) told News24 she suspects there were three men and a woman involved in the incident:

“I think they wanted to pass my son to the woman and have her leave the restaurant with him as it would look less suspicious.”

The mother, who was pregnant at the time and gave birth two weeks later, said her husband noticed the man walking away with their 22-month-old child.

“If, for some reason, my husband looked down to have a bite of food or just looked in a different direction for a split second, the situation could have had an entirely different ending,” she said.

Watch the whole thing unfold:

When her husband approached the man, he said he was “only playing”. Security eventually escorted the alleged perpetrators from the premises, and the couple opened a case of kidnapping at the local police station.

However, the case was closed after two days.

In a statement, the Spur in question said:

“Management immediately intervened and although the man insisted it was a practical joke, mall security was called and the case was reported to the police, however upon investigation the police chose not to prosecute.

“The family have been regular visitors to the Spur since the incident. The safety of children is a massive priority to Spur, we have recently increased our staff in all the Play Canyons countrywide.”

Be safe out there.

[source: news24]