Possible Teen Abduction Attempt Reported in Syracuse
Posted
Aaron Organ-aorgan@timesuniononline.com
SYRACUSE – A possible attempted abduction of a teen girl in Syracuse Wednesday has prompted the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department to warn residents to be on the lookout for suspicious incidents.
A Syracuse woman called the sheriff’s department Wednesday to report that a man had made a possible attempt to abduct her 14-year-old daughter as she walked to a nearby store.
According to Deputy J.D. Ayres’ incident report, the woman said her daughter was walking to Noble Stores, 10010 N. Turkey Creek Road, Syracuse, when a mint green truck with a topper passed her along the road. As the girl arrived at the business, she said the truck turned around and came back into the store’s parking lot, the report said.
The girl said the truck’s driver – a bald man, 30 to 40 years old – asked her if she “was hurting” and asked the girl to get into the truck with him, the report said. The man said he was going to a church and wanted to girl to come along, she told police.
The girl refused, and ran home, the report said.
Officers searched the area for a truck matching the description, and officers went to the church, but no truck was located.
The sheriff’s department said that while the incident could have been innocent, it’s an appropriate jumping-off point to caution residents about the dangers of such circumstances.
“With the start of school and with children being more present, the potential of being approached by strangers is a concern annually that our department and law enforcement officials are concerned with,” said Sgt. Chad Hill, spokesman for the department. “We encourage parents to talk with their children about what they should do if they are approached by a stranger.
“We want to make sure to warn individuals and to urge parents to have conversations with their kids.” Anyone who suspects any suspicious activity should call 911 if they feel they’re in immediate danger, or the sheriff’s department at 574-267-5667.
