Search icon

News

12th Oct 2021

Parents warned after man dressed as Spiderman spotted handing out sweets in Dublin park

Kat O'Connor

“He took off when adults noticed him”

Parents in Dublin have expressed their concerns after a strange man was spotted in a popular playground.

It is believed a man dressed as Spiderman was spotted handing out sweets to children in Rathmines.

Parents spotted the stranger giving sweets to children in the park on Belgrave Square.

The incident occurred on Monday, October 11th between 3 pm and 4 pm.

The popular playground is often busy after the afternoon school run.

Numerous mums were scared after spotting the man in the park.

It is believed he was trying to tempt children away with the free sweets.

One parent told Dublin Live, “A guy dressed as Spiderman approached a number of kids on at least two occasions, handing them sweets.

“He took off when adults noticed him. Many of the kids were far away from their parents or minders at the time,” they added.

“This time of year especially there’s probably more opportunists around than normal.”

Parents reported the incident to Gardaí in Rathmines.

Parents have been urged to remain vigilant and to stay close to their children in public.

Never let them out of your sight, even for a minute. A child could be snatched in mere seconds so parents have been warned to be extra cautious.

Staying close to your children in the park is essential, especially as the evenings start to get darker.

As parents, we can never be too careful.

Any suspicious activity should be reported.