Gardaí in North Co Dublin are currently searching for a man who is attempting to lure young children into his vehicle by pretending to be a Garda.
They have issued the warning to parents in an effort for everyone to share the message across Facebook to raise awareness of the sinister and potentially highly serious and dangerous act.
The alert comes after a number of incidents were reported to Gardaí in the past month.
Gardaí are warning parents and young children to be extra vigilant after they received a number of reports, including one from a man in Swords who was approached by the predator as he walked through the Ridgewood estate.
It is believed the man aged in his 30s was approached by the predator after he mistakenly assumed he was a school boy carrying a bag.
A short time later the man issued a post on Facebook describing the incident, the man said: “A car pulled me over flashing lights to get my attention. The driver told me he was a garda and wanted to see my ID.”
“I noticed a small boy in the front seat of the car and realised he was not a garda.” “So I told him if he wanted ID he would need to follow me home and I would get it for him.”
“I walked away from the car. I never thought of getting a description as I was a little shocked and I was talking to someone on my mobile so I never got a chance.”
“My best memory is that it was a light coloured, maybe gold, possibly an Opel.” “I rang the Gardaí and they advised I was not the only one to have been approached.”
“I am a man in his 30s but I was wearing a school-type bag on my back, maybe they thought I was younger.”
The latest incident comes after a schoolboy was reportedly approached in Balbriggan earlier this month.
Gardaí have issued a description of the driver who is aged between 35 to 40, bald, with dark eyebrows and possibly a Cork accent.