The Portland Police Bureau is alerting the public to a report received about a man who attempted to lure a child into his vehicle.
On Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at 3:16 p.m., an East Precinct officer responded to the 7000 block of Southeast 83rd Avenue on the report that a man unsuccessfully attempted to lure a 10-year-old girl into his vehicle.
During the investigation, the officer learned the 10-year-old was walking home from Kelly Elementary School, located at 9030 Southeast Cooper Street, when she noticed a vehicle slowly driving behind her. The driver of the van reportedly opened a door to the vehicle and motioned for the girl to enter his vehicle. The girl ran toward her home while yelling for help. The yells for help alerted her father who ran to meet his daughter as she neared her house. Her father learned about the incident and called police.
The girl described the vehicle as a gray or silver van, similar to a Ford Windstar or Chrysler Town and Country. The driver of the van was described as a man in his 50's with short curly white hair, tan skin, glasses and no facial hair.
Anyone witnessing a luring-type incident is asked to immediately call 9-1-1 and provide as much information as possible. If any residents in the area of this incident have residential surveillance cameras, investigators are asking them to check recordings for any possible images of the suspect. People with non-emergency information should contact the Portland Police non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.
The Portland Police Bureau would like to remind parents to talk to their children about "stranger danger" to keep them safe.
Some tips from the National Crime Prevention Council about stranger danger are available at https://www.ncpc.org/topics/violent-crime-and-personal-safety/strangers