Concerned local residents informed The Alternative Press of Lower Providence (LP TAP) about a possible child abduction attempt right in our own backyards. Lower Providence Police Department were called, and a report was filed, though the LPPD could not be reached by press for comment Wednesday or Thursday morning.
Callers told LP TAP that around 4:10 p.m. Wednesday evening, a young girl was stopped by a man trying to “snag a kid in our neighborhood.” The report was called in from the area of Brimfield and Woodland avenues, nearly a block down from Woodland Elementary School.
A car, described by witnesses as a red, four-door little car, late 1970s model, “boxy older car” stopped a young girl walking to a friend’s home. The man, described by the child as a white male in his late 30s with dark or black hair asked if “she was OK” through a rolled down window. The man approached her as she crossed Woodland Avenue at the corner of Brimfield.
When an adult approached the driveway of the girl’s destination, the car sped off. The parents of the girl’s friend immediately dialed police, who arrived to the scene to file a report.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Back on Feb. 1, both Lower Providence and West Norriton police departments were investigating two incidents of attempted child luring. One incident, reported on Jan. 27 took place when a 10-year-old girl was approached by a suspect near her own residence at Liberty Avenue in West Norriton Township.
A second attempt was reported on Jan. 29, when a 12-year-old girl was followed from a school bus stop at East Mount Kirk Avenue at Walker Lane in Lower Providence Township.
Police released the following description to the public on Feb. 1, noting the suspect was similar in both cases in January 2014.
"The suspect is described as a white male, 20 to 30 years of age, clean shaven, short dark hair, and wearing dark clothing,” said the LPPD report. “The vehicle is described as a white or gray, slightly lifted, two door pick up truck with a 4x4 decal on the tailgate. It has a short bed with a silver toolbox behind the cab and a windshield visor decal with horizontal and vertical lines. The vehicle had a rusted body with either decals or paint peeling that looked like paint splatter.”
It is unknown if the cases from January are related to the incident which was reported on Wednesday night. The physical descriptions of the male are similar, though police have not yet released a connection to the cases. The vehicles described were very different.
Anyone with information on any of the above-mentioned cases should contact LPPD at 610-539-5901.
