Children in Perth were at a “serious and imminent” risk of being kidnapped by a man who planned to abduct and abuse a child at a secret sound-proof loft he built in his home, police say.
WARNING: This story contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Jason William Forbes has been jailed for seven years after police foiled his elaborate plan to kidnap a young girl by impersonating a police officer.
The 39-year-old had scoped out schools and kindergartens, and fitted his attic with sound-proofing materials after researching how to build a panic room.
The stairs to the house’s attic, which had been modified. (Supplied )
Forbes lived in a suburban Baldivis home, south of Perth, several hundred metres from two schools and a childcare centre.
Sex Crime Division Detective Acting Superintendent Eamon Flanagan said “something terrible” could have happened if there was a delay in intercepting him.
“It was clear that there was serious and imminent risk if there had been any delay in this investigation,” he said.
Jason William Forbes has been jailed for over seven years. (Supplied)
“There was extensive planning which demonstrated a real intention to undertake these activities … without the decisive action, something terrible could have happened in this case.”
Advanced plan for abduction
The UK-born Forbes came to the attention of police when Australian Border Force (ABF) officials seized two bespoke child sex dolls he ordered in 2024.
Later, police raided his home where they seized nappies, children’s underwear, children’s dolls, a fake police badge, as well as more than 77,000 videos and images of child abuse, described in court as “extremely depraved”.
Writing discovered by authorities inside the home of Jason William Forbes. (Supplied)
Police officers also found what they described as an “elaborate mind map” written on a mirror in the master bedroom, setting out an abduction plan.
Forbes was also found to have searched online “volunteer childcare work near me”, “volunteer Baldivis” and “safety house sign or badge”, along with terms such as “chloroform” and “knock out chemicals and gases”.
He also used his car to film children on a driveway less than two kilometres from his home. A still image from that vision was saved to a folder named “X marks the spot”.
Jason William Forbes’s car. (Supplied)
He used the same car to visit childcare centres in the area.
The car had been fitted with dark tinted Perspex sheets, making it impossible to see inside.
Forbes has been jailed for over seven years and could be eligible for parole in late 2029.
The Baldivis house where Jason William Forbes lived, and where he built a secret sound-proof loft. (ABC News: Kenith Png)
A ‘rare’ case
Superintendent Flanagan said the community could have confidence authorities were working together to respond “rapidly” and “with the full force of the law” to such incidents, but stressed they were rare.
Detective Acting Superintendent Eamon Flanagan says Forbes had carried out “extensive planning”. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
“We need help from the community in putting information reports through Crime Stoppers and local police if you identify suspicious activities in your neighbourhood,” he said.
“Every report that we receive is dealt with promptly and taken seriously.
“It’s not very often we do get cases where people have put physical plans in place and alterations to vehicles and houses, in order to go through with their plans.”
Police say the man had researched schools and early learning centres. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Superintendent Flanagan said every child in Western Australia should be able to play in their front yard without fear of potential abduction.
“There is that community message there for children to be obviously aware and to make sure you keep an eye on your kids,” he said.
“However … this is a rare event and we do live in a safe community.”
Sex doll importation
ABF Inspector David Williamson said within around 10 days of intercepting the child-like sex doll that Forbes had ordered, authorities were at his door.Â
“There was an electronic device playing child abuse material on the kitchen bench, there was the additional doll in the bedroom,” he said.Â
“We sighted the mirror and were into the car, at that stage we immediately realised it was beyond the remit of the Australian Border Force.”
ABF Inspector David Williamson says four more people in WA are currently being prosecuted for importing sex dolls. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
Inspector Williamson said there were 47 importations of child-like sex dolls in Australia over the past year and four people in WA currently being prosecuted for importing the dolls.
“Importing child-like sex dolls is not a victimless crime, research suggests that it can be an escalation point to contact offending and other offences involving children,” he said.Â
“Child-like sex dolls are typically sourced online and out of China.Â
“Our border targeting teams are quite adept and skilled at looking at the subtle indicators that child-like sex dolls are contained in consignments.”
‘It’s disgusting’: New home-owner
The current owner of the home, who wished only to be known as Amy, purchased the house in February 2025.
“It is concerning as we have no connection to the family or had any prior knowledge of these crimes when we purchased the house,” she said.
“It’s disgusting. You wouldn’t picture it on such a nice street, it is a very nice street where the neighbours all know each other and knowing that someone had planned in detail such a horrible crime.
“You do feel for the people who were living next to him at the time.”
The new owner of the house said she is ‘disgusted’ at the revelations. (ABC News: Kenith Png)
Neighbours Kelly and Jeremy Robertson, who have two young children, said they were “horribly shocked” after learning what Forbes planned to do.
“I feel like we’ve dodged the bullet,” Kelly said.
“It could’ve been our kids … they could’ve been snatched.”
Kelly and Jeremy Robertson say Forbes kept to himself. (ABC News )
However, Kelly said she had never felt uncomfortable living next door to Forbes before the raid, as “he had never given any indication that he was interested in” her children.
“We just thought he was a gamer, kept to himself, a single guy, never did anything else there,” she said.
Kelly has also described the neighbourhood as “very safe”.
‘It’s a family-filled neighbourhood — that’s why we were attracted to this area,” she said.
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