2 students say man tried to lure them into a van
By Josh Copitch
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SALINAS, California (KSBW) — The Salinas Police Department is on alert after two students at Cesar Chavez Elementary reported a man trying to lure them into a white van.
According to police, the first report came on Aug. 13, a second-grader said she saw a man in a white van who tried to get her to get into the van near campus. The student ran back to school and told administrators.
Police said that they received a second report that a few days before, a student was walking home from school when a man in a white van rolled down a window and asked her if she needed a ride home.
Police noted they don’t know if the two incidents are related or even the same van, but they are actively patrolling the area looking for anything suspicious.
After reaching out to Alisal Union School District, Superintendent Jim Koenig released a statement. The full statement is below:
On Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, Alisal USD administrators received a report that a second grade student at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary walked up to a man she believed was her father at release time. According to the student, when she realized the man wasn’t her father, the man asked the student if her mother was there to pick her up, and when the student said no, the man asked her if she wanted to leave with him. The student said no and the man walked away to a white van that was parked on the street. The student went back to the gate and staff contacted the Salinas Police Department. Staff at Cesar E. Chavez have been on the alert since and release procedures have been strengthened so parents wait behind a line painted on the ground while teachers supervise their release. On Wednesday, Aug. 18, Alisal District officials were informed that a sixth-grade student was approached by a man in a white van while walking home from school. The incident occurred on or about Aug. 9, 2021.
Parents and community members are advised to be on the alert and give their children specific instructions about who can pick them up from school in cases of emergency, and to make sure school officials have the information on file in case of emergencies. Schools remain open until 5 pm and children can stay safely inside until a parent or trusted adult can pick them up.
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