A warning for parents and children Monday after Lexington police are stepping up patrols because of two separate reports of a man attempting to lure girls into his truck just a week apart.
In both cases, the girls gave the same description of the man – the girls told police the man was in his mid-30’s, had dark hair with bags under his eyes.
Police say the man tried to lure two 11-year-old girls into his truck while they were at the playground behind the Millpond Shopping Center.
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Lexington Police say the man was watching the two girls play from his dark red Dodge truck Saturday morning. They say he then asked one of the girls to come with him, and that’s when both girls ran to the front of the shopping center. Police say the man briefly followed them before driving away.
It’s a disturbing thought for any parent, especially when it’s happening in their backyard.
“It’s scary, very scary. And parents should talk to their children and tell them not to get into people’s vehicles,” said Lexington resident Judy Wiljanen.
That’s exactly what Lexington Police are warning after reports were made in the Millpond area. The first happened in August when a middle schooler was on her way to the bus stop when a man pulled up in a maroon pickup with chrome exhausts. She said the man told her he needed help finding his dog, but the girl didn’t take the bait and ran off.
Then on Saturday, just up the road form that first incident, two girls on the playground say a man tried to lure them into a truck with a matching description.
“What we need, most of all, is for parents to have that conversation with their kids about stranger danger.” said Sharelle Roberts with Lexington Police Department. “Teach your kids what to do if a stranger speaks to them or approaches them, and most importantly if they try to take them somewhere or lure them into a vehicle.”
While this is important, some parents still fear the man behind these reports.
“The kids are doing the right thing, but he’s bigger than them and could grab them and get them into the truck and something bad could happen,” Wiljanen said.
If you’ve seen the truck or notice anything suspicious, you’re asked to report it to police.
