Skip to content

RCMP pulled over man wanted in Calgary kidnapping; girl was too scared to talk

Police in Calgary say an RCMP officer pulled over a man wanted in a child’s kidnapping but didn’t realize the victim was sitting in the front seat of his van.
alta_kidnap_suspect
Arrest warrants have been issued for 43-year-old John Francis Dionne of Linden

CALGARY — Police in Calgary say an RCMP officer pulled over a man wanted in a child’s kidnapping but didn’t realize the victim was sitting in the front seat of his van.

The 10-year-old girl hadn’t yet been reported missing when the Mountie stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation, and she was too scared to say anything to the officer.

The driver was given a traffic ticket and drove away.

The girl was dropped off a short time later at a McDonald’s near Airdrie north of Calgary.

Arrest warrants have been issued for 43-year-old John Francis Dionne of Linden, AB.

Dionne is charged with kidnapping, child abduction, assault, robbery and impersonating a police officer.

The girl was taken to Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary as a precaution.

Police say she was shopping with her dad Thursday night at Deerfoot Mall in the city’s northeast when they became separated.

Staff Sgt. Brad Moore said that’s when a man approached her, said he was a police officer and accused her of shoplifting. The girl went with him, but became suspicious and started questioning him.

The man then grabbed her and took her to a green Dodge Caravan van.

Police are asking that anyone with information that could lead to an arrest contact them.