Unknown man speaks to boys in Wilhelmsburg – police are asking for information!

Unknown man speaks to boys in Wilhelmsburg – police are asking for information!

In Wilhelmsburg, a district of Hamburg, an incident on June 6, 2025 caused a stir. A twelve-year-old boy was on his way back from the soccer field to the “Veringstrasse (Mitte)” bus stop on Friday evening around 6 p.m. when he was approached by an unknown man. The suspect grabbed the boy's arm, causing the child to scream loudly. Immediate help came from two passers-by, a man and a woman, who were nearby. Together they and the boy boarded a bus on line 13 in the direction of Veddel, after which the incident happened.

When the boy arrived home, his parents immediately informed the police about what had happened. They immediately initiated a search, but without success as the perpetrator has not yet been identified. The police have handed over the investigation to the specialist sexual offenses unit (LKA 42) in order to fully clarify the incident. The suspect's description is as follows:

Description of the suspect

• Männlich, etwa 40 bis 45 Jahre alt
• Helle Hautfarbe
• Beigrauer Pullover, blaue Baggy Jeans
• Rot-schwarzer Rucksack

The police department is urgently looking for other witnesses to the incident, especially the two passers-by who stood by the boy. Members of the police ask that anyone with information call 040/4286-56789 or contact a police station.

Child protection and prevention

The incident also raises the serious issue of child abuse, which is a global problem. According to the World Health Organization, child abuse is widespread and includes not only physical and sexual assault, but also psychological abuse and neglect. There is growing concern in the European Region that traditional protection measures are often not enough to protect children from maltreatment.

The WHO report shows that many cases of child abuse can be prevented through a public health approach and calls for greater attention to prevention measures. This discussion becomes particularly relevant in light of the incident in Wilhelmsburg.

It remains to be seen whether the current investigation will reveal new information about the suspect. The police are relying on the public's help to resolve the incident as quickly as possible and thereby potentially minimize any further risk to children in the area.

For further information on this incident and similar topics, the reporting from Süderelbe24 and Presseportal is recommended.