Children of the Street

COQUITLAM – August 11, 2010 – A 36-year-old Burnaby man who thought he was chatting online with a 13-year-old girl has been arrested and charged with child luring, Vancouver police said in a press release last week.  The young girl was, in fact, a Vice Unit investigator. 

The arrest is part of a new program, PredatorWatch — a partnership between local police and Children of the Street Society.  Part enforcement strategy, part multi-media campaign, Predator Watch uses print, television, and radio advertisements to let online predators know undercover officers are online.  

Ram Reddy Yalaka, 36, was arrested July 23 and charged with luring a child under 14.  The investigation began in June, with police detectives posing as under-age kids online. 

Yalaka began an online relationship with a person he thought to be a 13-year-old girl.  The subject of the online conversations soon became sexual, said Vancouver Police, and he sent links of pornographic websites and committed sexual acts on webcam for “the girl” to watch. 

“This recent arrest for child luring should make it clear to predators they could be talking online to an undercover police officer and be arrested and charged,” says Diane Sowden, Executive Director of Children of the Street Society. “PredatorWatch demonstrates a successful partnership between law enforcement and a community organization.  We are also encouraging the public to visit PredatorWatch.ca to learn about the campaign, and how they can get involved.”

In an article published by The Province (July 29, 2010), Det. Kate Caprarie warned parents that approximately 50% of chat room activity leads to sexual talk and propositions.  “There’s way too much work for us and we can’t keep up with it,” said Caprarie, who also had a warning to predators looking to sexually exploit a child or youth: “For the predators, at any time, it could be us you’re talking to.”

Children of the Street Society is a provincial society whose mission is to take a proactive approach against child and youth sexual exploitation while offering support to families affected.  Since 1995, the society has been raising awareness of this issue and providing education to children, youth, educators, service providers, law enforcement, and now, to the predators themselves.

For more information and to view the campaign materials, visit www.PredatorWatch.ca . 

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