AIRDRIE — Alberta RCMP say they have arrested and charged a Calgary man who, it was later determined, had been the focus of a “catch a predator” sting operation hatched by a group of youngsters.
Mounties say the situation came to light in Airdrie on Monday night when a 12-year-old boy was abducted in a car only to escape at a stoplight and call police.
The suspect, a 37-year-old, refused to stop for police and was later arrested at a Calgary residence.
Subsequently, police said they learned the suspect had been targeted by at least seven youths in a “catch a predator” scheme.
The youths had arranged through social media a meeting with the suspect at a neighbourhood in Airdrie, which is on Calgary’s northern outskirts.
They then recorded the 12-year-old voluntarily getting into the car as it then drove away.
The accused faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, sexual interference and forcible confinement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2025.
The Canadian Press
