Boy, 5, in cake run

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | January 27, 2005

[Stoat]

BREAKING NEWS

Boy, 5, in cake run

By SUN ONLINE REPORTER

A PECKISH five-year-old boy slipped unnoticed from his school and took a bus to the local supermarket to buy cake.

Aaran Taylor failed to arouse suspicion as he pushed a trolley taller than him through the Tesco store in East Sussex and it was only after it emerged there was no one to pay for his cakes that he was rumbled.

Aaran managed to evade a child-proof electronic gate at West Hove Infant School and travel one mile on the bus unchallenged despite being described as his mother as having "baby features".

Mum Kerry Smith, 23, said: "I was frantic when I heard he’d disappeared. We scoured the school area, local parks and corner shops but we couldn’t find him anywhere.

"We did not think he would get on a bus. He was missing for about two hours and there were eight or nine teachers out looking for him. I just cannot believe he got all the way there without anyone noticing him."

Governors at the school said staff first became aware of Aaran’s absence during registration after lunch.

Chairman of the governors Jeff White, said: "The pupil had been seen by staff less than half an hour before this. Our procedures kicked in immediately, with staff searching the premises at our school and at the neighbouring junior school, and other staff going straight to the parents’ house to make them aware of the situation.

"We believe the security arrangements at the school are generally sound. We installed the current electrically-controlled school gate in 1999, and are not aware of any problems of this nature since then.

"But we recognise that this incident raises issues about whether the mechanism could be re-designed to stop it happening again. We are reviewing this as a matter of urgency, in consultation with the  LEA’s health and safety experts and with the police."

Mr White said Aaran’s parents were generally happy with the school. Aaran was today back in class.

Mrs Smith said she was disappointed that her son had managed to travel so far without the alarm being raised.
 
She told The Argus newspaper: "He was in his school uniform, he’s not particularly tall and he’s got quite baby features. You wouldn’t think he’s older than he is. None of the security at Tesco spotted him either. They only realised once all his cakes had been swiped through the checkout.

"The checkout girl told him the total amount before she saw there was no one with him to pay. I really can’t believe nobody stopped him in all that time. It’s amazing he even got on the bus in the first place, or knew which stop he needed for Tesco."

No one at Tesco would comment on the incident.

[Stoat]

Tesco.com

[theDentist]

...it was only after it emerged there was no one to pay for his cakes that he was rumbled.

Rumbled? Like in the Jets and the Sharks?

[Darkwolf377]

In other news, Billy Smith got a drink of water...from the faucet!!!!

[BullDog108]

"But we recognise that this incident raises issues about whether the mechanism could be re-designed to stop it happening again.{snip}"

Ya think?

[annyokie]

This is actually kind of a cute story. Kid escapes school, takes a city bus and tries to purchase cakes. It could have been tragic. What an enterprising little kid.

[najida]

I thought it was adorable too!

Ya know what this kid's priorities are ;)

[annyokie]

Who is that comedian, his name escapes me, who said "If there's the possibility that there might be cake.....I'm there!"

[Redcloak]

First the porn story from Greece, and now this. What's next?!

[grateful]

Who is that comedian, his name escapes me, who said "If there's the possibility that there might be cake.....I'm there!"

That wasn't Eddie Izzard, was it?

[ichabod1]

What exactly constitutes "cake" in England? Enquiring minds want to know.

[reagan_fanatic]

Aaran Taylor failed to arouse suspicion as he pushed a trolley taller than him through the Tesco store...

Must be stronger than he looks.

[TX Bluebonnet]

Reminds me of my ex sister-in-law.

She went to a Catholic elementary school where she had an ancient, deaf nun as a teacher. They could walk out of class, walk across the street to a tortilla factory, buy a quarters worth of broken chips, walk back into class and loudly eat the chips without the nun being the wiser.

I always loved that story.

[annyokie]

I honestly can't remember. The routine was a scream, though.

[ElkGroveDan]

Pekish lad rumbled...I have to remember some of these terms.

[Stoat]

What exactly constitutes "cake" in England? Enquiring minds want to know.

Mr Kipling Chocolate Chip Cake Bars

Tesco 12 Iced Fairy Cakes

Tesco Angel Layer Cake

Fabulous Bakin' Boys 6 Chocolate Flavoured Cup Cakes

Tesco Finest Chocolate Indulgence Cake

Tesco Chocolate Caterpillar Cake

 

[MKM1960]

Tesco's looks like Wal Mart on steroids with better quality goods.

[MarineBrat]

Reminds me of my oldest brother, who drove my mother frantic because he would follow the trash truck down the alley because he was so fascinated by them. Whenever Mom heard the trash truck coming she had to make sure where he was or else he'd end up half a mile down the road if he got loose.

This would have been in the late 40's or early 50's, when trash trucks were really cool! And a little kid could count on some good Samaritan coming along to bring him home. :)

[ORECON]

This kid has lots of potential.

[Fiddlstix]

Let them eat cake!

[Humbug]

rumbled = "found out" according to a British friend of mine