An elementary-age child was approached by a suspect who tried to lure them into a truck after the student was dropped off by the school bus in Highland Park Wednesday afternoon.
The Highland Park Police Department responded around 7 p.m. Wednesday to a report of an attempted child luring incident that occurred near Ridge Road and Devonshire Court around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Police said an elementary school student was approached by an unknown male in a white box truck after being dropped off by the bus at the bus stop near the student’s residence.
The child told officers that after exiting the school bus, the white box truck pulled up in close proximity.
The sole occupant of the vehicle, described as a white male with a long black beard, rolled down the window and said, “Hey kid, get in the car,” according to the child.
The child immediately ran home and is safe, police said. The suspect vehicle continued traveling southbound on Ridge Road.
The vehicle was described as a white box truck with noticeable rust near the windows.
The Highland Park Police Department said they are currently investigating the incident.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has security camera footage from the area around the time of the incident is asked to contact the Highland Park Police Department Investigations Division at 847-432-7730 or call 911 if the vehicle or suspect is seen.
Residents or local businesses who may have had contractors, delivery drivers or service workers operating a similar vehicle in the area at that time are encouraged to notify the Highland Park Police Department to assist with the investigation.
Police say parents and guardians are urged to talk with their children about safety when walking to and from school or bus stops.
Children should be reminded to never approach or enter a vehicle without a parent or guardian’s permission.
They are also urged to run to a safe location and seek help immediately if approached by anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe and report any suspicious behavior to a trusted adult or the police.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) recommends that parents teach kids to run away from and report behaviors and situations that make the child feel uncomfortable because most child abductions involve a relative or someone the child knows.
“This helps prepare children to act even if the risk of abduction is from someone they know,” officials said.
The NCMEC says that kids should be taught about trusted adults and be provided with examples of trusted adults in the absence of a parent, such as a uniformed police officer or a store clerk with a nametag.
The NCMEC said children are recommended not to walk alone, never go with a person without permission from their parent or guardian and not talk to adults who try to talk to them while the children are playing outside or walking home, even if they are asking for help. “Adults ask adults for help, not kids,” officials said.