A man tried to lure a 10-year-old Inver Grove Heights boy out of his backyard on Tuesday, police said.
Police issued a community safety alert Thursday detailing the incident that occurred about 5:30 p.m. in a neighborhood near the Woodland Preserve Park.
According to the alert, a white man in his 30s or 40s in a black jacket and black hat beckoned to the boy from a neighbor’s yard. The man motioned for the boy and his younger siblings to come over to him. But the boy rounded up his siblings and immediately went into the house to tell his parents.
When adults checked the area, they did not find a man or a vehicle. And neighbors said they didn’t have any guests over.
Police said they didn’t have enough information to classify the incident as an official luring incident, but are increasing patrols in the area and asking residents to be aware.
Authorities said parents should remind their children about basic safety precautions, such as telling a trusted adult or parent if they are approached by a stranger, never entering a stranger’s house or vehicle, and telling a teacher if they are ever approached by a stranger at school or on the way to or from school.
Meanwhile, Burnsville police are still investigating two incidents this week in which a man driving a red Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo either followed or attempted to interact with children.
On Sunday, Burnsville officers received a report about a suspicious vehicle following a teenage girl in the 3300 block of Barbara Lane. Two days later, a man in a similar vehicle tried to speak to two children outside of their home in the 14800 block of White Oak Drive.The report noted the man said things along the lines of “do you live nearby” and “come closer to the vehicle.” The children said they ignored the man and that he eventually drove away.
Surveillance photos show a 1999-2004 red Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Burnsville police are trying to identity the man, who was described as being white and in his 40s or 50s and wearing glasses. His vehicle was captured in surveillance photos released to the public Wednesday. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Andrea Newton at 952-895-4670.