Crime & Safety

Cops Investigating Men's Attempt to Lure Child into Van

Neighboring townships alerted that an alleged encounter between an elementary school-aged girl and two men in a minivan took place on Canal View Drive in Lawrence Township Saturday evening.

A Saturday evening (July 14) encounter between two men and a young girl is being investigated by Lawrence Township police as an attempted child luring.

Police in neighboring municipalities were alerted and anyone with information about the identities or whereabouts of the men are asked to call Lawrence Township police.

The child involved – an elementary school-aged girl whose exact age was withheld by police – fled from the men and was not harmed.

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The incident occurred about 6 p.m. along Canal View Drive, near Province Line Road.

Township police Sgt. Chris Longo said the girl told police she was playing in front of her home when a minivan occupied by two men drove up.

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“The driver made a comment that led the girl to believe he wanted her to go with him,” Longo said.

He said the girl refused to get into the vehicle. She instead ran into her home and notified her parents, who in turn called police, he said.

The minivan, which sped away, was described only as being of a dark color, with possible rust spots on its doors.  While police are not certain, there might have been a curtain or similar material separating the front seats of the minivan from the rest of the vehicle.

The girl was not able to provide detailed descriptions of the two men. She was only able to tell police that they were white or Hispanic, according to Longo.

Longo said township police alerted authorities in neighboring municipalities about the incident. No similar cases had been reported elsewhere, he said.

Detective Kevin Reading Jr. and Officer Andres Mejia are investigating.

Police ask anyone with information about identities of the two men or the whereabouts of the minivan to call them at (609) 896-1111.


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