Boy Allegedly Kidnapped By Man He Met Playing Minecraft

A 12-year-old boy was saved from a man he met while playing Minecraft, who allegedly kidnapped him.

Paul Schickling disappeared from his home in Solothum, Switzerland, last week, prompting an international manhunt, with police searching his computer for clues of his whereabouts.

Officers found out that Paul was a keen player of a video game called Minecraft and that he’d put his personal details such as his real name, address and age online. “My name is Paul, my hobbies are playing Minecraft and chatting with fellow players on Teamspeak,” he wrote.

This information has led police to a 35-year-old man, known as Werner C, from Dusseldorf, Germany, that Paul had been talking. Officers then raided the man’s apartment and found the boy hiding in the attic. However, it is unclear if the boy was there against his will.

A police spokesperson said there was also a possibility that the boy had been sexually abused, as the German has a criminal record, although he was only arrested a few times for minor property crimes.

The neighbours of Werner C. told police that they were unaware of him hiding a child in his attic. They said they only noticed that the man did not want anyone to enter his apartment. A neighbour also told local media that at times, they had seen him taking children into his apartment, saying “he was just playing a little with the kids”.

Police learned that the boy told his parents he was going for a cycle run before he left. Police found his bike in a town nearby.

Swiss telecommunications company Swisscom has used this incident to warn parents and children of the dangers of meeting people on the internet.

“It is important that parents talk about all the risks involved of being online with their children. You should be aware that although online 13-year old Marco is talking to you, in reality this can be 46-year old Klaus,” a Swisscom spokesperson said.

Since Paul is underage, the man is facing kidnapping charges.

Paul has now been reunited with his family.

Sources: Aww.com.au and Mirror.co.uk