The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Arrest made
Observant parent thwarted abduction attempt of girl, 7, from Chilliwack Elementary : police
May 15, 2026 | 11:24 AM
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CHILLIWACK — Police in Chilliwack say the attempted abduction of a seven-year-old girl from a school on Wednesday, by a man wearing a “purple bunny-like mask”, was thwarted by a concerned parent.
RCMP were called to the grounds of Chilliwack Elementary School just after 9 a.m. after a masked man was seen attempting to remove the child from the school.
Supt. Darren Pankratz says a parent dropping off their child noticed the situation wasn’t right and intervened, bringing the girl back unharmed before notifying police.
Police have charged 49-year-old Joel McGillis with kidnapping a person under 16, and he was due in court on Friday.
