Police are still looking for the man who allegedly tried to buy two young girls while they were walking with their parents along the Sliema front.

Sources said last week the police identified a suspect but investigations did not lead to a positive identification of the man.

Investigations are still ongoing in order to identify the man who allegedly offered money to buy the children, aged two and seven, during two separate episodes on July 4.

Last week the Times of Malta reported the story of 31-year-old Anya Soldatova who was approached by a Middle-Eastern-looking man in his early 30s offering to buy her two-year-old blonde daughter. He kept raising the price until he reached €30,000.

The incident happened at about 9.30pm close to the Preluna Hotel. Ms Soldatova stopped at one of the stalls to buy a necklace for her daughter and they carried on walking. Near one of the other stalls there was a man who seemed to know the owner of the stall nearby. He asked how much her daughter cost and remained serious when she tried to laugh it off as a joke. She later filed a police report.

After reading the story, 35-year-old Annemarie (who only wanted her first name published), filed a police report saying the same thing happened to her at about 7.30pm when she was walking along the front with her husband, their baby and seven-year-old daughter.

A “Tunisian-looking man” had a smile on his face as he insisted he wanted to buy her.

Anyone who has information or had a similar experience can call the police Crime Stop Line 119, report at the closest police station or call 2122 4001.