Should I report to 101, stranger and my baby

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I feel a bit shaken after an interaction. After the school run, I was putting my baby in the car seat and someone tapped my shoulder. I turned with baby in my arms and she said 'baby' and touched him, and but her hand near his armipit. She was stood very close and it felt like when you pass a baby over. I said 'what are you doing.' quite aggressively and she said 'no, no, I like babies' and squeezed his cheek then walked off quickly. I mean she could be lonely and love babies and want to innocently interact with them. She didn't speak much English either. But I just felt really uncomfortable. She wasn't as old as the ladies that often coo over him in the shops, so maybe that why i felt threatened. So aibu she just wanted to see and smile at a baby, very innocent and a cultural misunderstanding, or ainbu report to police in case it builds up a bigger picture and she will go on to kidnap.

They'll go out on a limb to help, when they twig what's happened.

Ha! You've just reminded me that a random man scooped up my middle son & put him on his shoulders at Le Mans, so he could see the start of the race better. DH & I were dealing with the other two. There was nothing weird about it, he checked with us first & we were all standing together. I thought it was absolutely adorable!

When my two boys were 4 and 2, they were both white blonde-haired, blue eyed little mini-me's of each other. We lived in a country where they were uncommon to say the least! I can't remember the number of times they were patted on the head, cheeks squeezed, lollipops given, cooed over and, on occasion, swung around under the arms! I was worried initially but soon realised it was just a cultural thing, no harm was meant, they just loved children and especially ones who were unfamiliar looking to their own!

Far more likely she was trying distract you to dip your purse out of your handbag than kidnap your baby.

Jesus Christ, I'm glad my mum moved us out of London

No OP this is absolutely messed up and I would report it too

What is wrong with some of these people commenting?

Report this via 101. This is not ok. Sounds like she was sounding you out , to see if you would hand baby over. I don’t like this. Your feelings are accurate on this - it’s not ok.

Very South London. Nothing worth reporting. 🤷‍♀️

Wow. YABVVU. She's just an awkward foreigner trying to interact with a baby! No crime was committed.

If you reported it, I'd worry you'd be accused of wasting police time, or even racism.

Living in South London is basically the real life version of The Hunger Games, especially SW London🫣

OP, do you have much experience of interacting with people from other cultures, specifically around your baby? If it felt like 'more' than that, then report it. From how you have written it, it doesn't come across as a police matter, but only you were there, not us.

She probably has SEN.
Non issue. Don't bother reporting to the police.

OP, I don't know if this will help at all....

I'm from the ME originally, and it is very common there (and in a lot of Mediterranean , Asian and North African countries/cultures too). A person would say something lovely about a baby/child (or just see a baby/child), followed by "mashallah" (this means "God wills it") or "tabarakallah" ("Gods blessings"), often cheek or bottom slightly pinched. We (I'm Christian) might also cross ourselves and point first two fingers at the person. This sort of thing is also done if something good happens to someone - you comment on the good thing (e.g. "well done, you passed the test/bought the house/got engaged/the job you wanted etc"), and then say mashallah or tabarakallah. This will sound absolutely nuts to many, but it's to ward off the (curse of the) evil eye (we call this "aina bishta"....IIRC it's "al-ain" in Arabic). From where I'm from, this is a thing in both Christian and Muslim communities. I believe something similar is also in Jewish communities.

I may be wrong, but I wonder if this incident is the same thing, particularly as OP mentioned that the lady might not have been from UK. Having said all that, I understand that it could be very unsettling/weird if it is not something you've encountered before! I've lived here long enough to know that this definitely isn't a "thing" in the UK, so I wouldn't do it (unless I know the baby's family is from my part of the world) - I would instead say something lovely about the baby and then say "bless him/her".

It's like a superstition to prevent bad luck, bad fortune or injury.

Stop wasting police time OP

Sorry stop thinking of wasting police time that should have said

Really?!

Yes. Pickpocketing is a much more common crime than kidnapping small babies.

Can you put it on share, hun.

This reminds me of the time I was breastfeeding my baby sat in my car and a stranger put their head right up to the open window and said “aw baby’s having their lunch”. It was very weird and spooked me but that’s London for you 🤷‍♀️😆

My first thought was could she have some sort of additional needs meaning she doesn't have the same personal space boundaries as the majority do?

This 100 %

Do the police take "just for info" reports?

I just mean you can ring for advice. If you're genuinely concerned about someone's behaviour you can call them.

I don't think I'd report what happened in the op, personally.

At least she wasn't.....gasp.....old!

You are a mum, if someone makes you uncomfortable, sets off alarms listen. It's mummy radar. I would report. If nothing came of it no harm done.

Because she's foreign?