Suspicious Incident
Stranger Awareness Reminder
July 26, 2021 – On July 25, 2021, it was reported that over the past two months, three to four times per week at various times during the day, a white Toyota sedan either drove by slowly or parked in the 500 block of Michigan Ave. A child had been playing outside during several of the occasions; however, no conversation or attempt to lure occurred. The Toyota was usually occupied by two individuals described as:
Driver: Male/Hispanic, heavy set, bald, with a “baby face.”
Passenger: Male/Hispanic, with a ponytail and goatee.
The Highland Park Police Department is actively investigating the report and will increase patrols in the vicinity. If individuals observe this vehicle or have any information to share, they are asked to contact the Police Department at 847.432.7730. License plate numbers and photographs are helpful, but only if they can be obtained safely and without confrontation.
Please take this opportunity to discuss with your children the precautions they should take in similar circumstances. Concentrate on the message of stranger awareness.
Following are some discussion points of safety:
- Don’t talk to strangers who try to talk to you while you are playing outside or while you are walking home.
- If the stranger continues trying to talk to you or stops the vehicle, run home or run to the nearest public place and immediately tell an adult what has happened.
- Never walk up to a car of a stranger and NEVER go with a stranger.
- It is best not to walk alone, walk with a friend or a group of students.
- If you have a cell phone, call 911 immediately.
- Try to remember as much as you can about the stranger and the vehicle.