Police in Texas are hunting for would-be kidnappers following two incidents involving strange men following or approaching young children in broad daylight.
The incidents, the first of which happened in Richardson, both occurred on Monday with the other happening in Dallas.
In Richardson, a young girl had been to her high school when she noticed a stranger driving past her several times and staring her down.
Freaked out, the unknown girl made a dash for a property near the road and found a hiding place.
Homeowner Shane Burke caught the young girl on his surveillance camera hiding behind his vehicle to get away from the vehicle before appearing at his door.
Freaked out, the as yet unknown girl made a dash for a property near the road and found a hiding place, seen here
Homeowner Shane Burke caught the young girl on his surveillance camera hiding behind his vehicle to get away from the vehicle before appearing at his door
Speaking with NBCDFW, Burke said he was grateful to have been working at his home on Monday morning.
He told the outlet: ‘She initially hid behind our car to see if he was coming back and sure enough, here he came really slow, and again, she was really smart.
‘She did all the right things. When I opened the door, she started explaining that someone has been following her. She was really shaky.’
He continued: ‘She didn’t say, «I don’t think he was saying anything», she said, «he keeps going by real slow back and forth on the street and staring at me, and I’m not comfortable,» which is right.’
Burke’s wife gave the young girl a ride to the school while he contacted police who responded to the scene.
He added: ‘I don’t know what this guy’s motive was or what he was up to, but she said she didn’t know him.
‘He wasn’t an ex-boyfriend, or a family member, or anything so whatever. This is serious. This was a close call. Fortunately, she did all the right things.’
The suspect vehicle is a black or dark blue 2014-2016 4-door Toyota Corolla S, according to RPD spokesman Officer Mike Wieczorek.
The only physical description police has is the man is bald, between 20 and 30 years old, dark-skinned, and possibly Latino.
Hours after the incident in Richardson, police in Dallas responded to an attempted abduction in the far north of the city
In the horrifying clip a man can be seen leaving the vehicle and making a run at her son Jay who quickly runs back to his house, before the man runs back to his car
Hours after the incident in Richardson, police in Dallas responded to an attempted abduction in the far north of the city.
Genna Skolnik said her sons had their friends over as a back-to-school playdate, telling them to stay together and never separate.
Home surveillance footage then captured two vehicles pulling up alongside the boys, which includes a white SUV described by cops a Toyota Four Runner.
According to the youths, the men inside one of the car was telling them come ‘check out our car’, spooking one of them who suggested the group all run.
In the horrifying clip a man can be seen leaving the vehicle and making a run at her son Jay who quickly runs back to his house, before the man runs back to his car.
Speaking with the outlet, Skolnik said: ‘All of the sudden I hear the door fly open and I hear: Jay’s being kidnapped Jay’s being kidnapped.
‘The guys in the car were telling them: «hey, come talk to us check out our car.» One of the boys was totally spooked and said «we need to run».’
Genna Skolnik said her sons had their friends over as a back-to-school playdate, telling them to stay together and never separate
She continued: ‘They were calling to my son saying: «Hey, we have a football player in the car like you should come talk to him».’
‘My son said: «I don’t talk to strangers!» and they reversed the car and Jonathan started running.’
Skolnik managed to take a picture of one of the vehicle’s license plate numbers
Incredibly, a passenger in a white t-shirt and shorts is then seen getting out of the SUV and running after her son before turning back after noticing the adult with a cell phone in her hand.
Skolnik managed to snap a picture of the vehicle’s license plate number, with Dallas Police now investigating the incident.
Burke added that the situational awareness and quick thinking of the young girl was admirable.
Skolnik managed to snap a picture of the vehicle’s license plate number, seen here, with Dallas Police now investigating the incident
He said: ‘ When you’re going to school, be aware of your surroundings, don’t be staring at your phones.
‘If there’s someone tracking you, going back and forth, staring at you call 911 or get help from an adult do whatever. Do not ever get in that car. Stay away.’
He added: ‘These kids are precious to us all of these kids in this community, and for somebody to be doing this while they’re going to school, the whole community is going to engage.
‘We’re going to find out who you are and what you’re up to. This is outrageous. You can’t come to our neighborhood and do this. We will not tolerate this.’
Dallas and Richardson police told NBC 5 that there are no indications the cases involve the same suspects or are related.
