Man attempts to lure girl into van in Buckley

Published 1:23 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Jessica Keller, The Courier-Herald

Buckley police are asking parents to keep an extra close eye on their kids after a recent child luring was reported.

The incident took place between 2 and 3 p.m. May 2 on Sheets Road, Buckley Police Chief Jim Arsanto said. A Buckley woman told police her 12-year-old daughter had been standing by the road with a horse and a dog, when a man in a dark, reddish-brown van drove up and stopped in front of the girl. The driver reportedly asked the girl if she wanted a ride, but the girl said no. Then the man asked if he gave her money, would she ride to the top of the hill with him, and again the girl refused. The driver then drove up the hill, turned around and left the area.

The woman, who was standing across a field from her daughter at the time, said when she didn't recognize the van, she started walking toward her daughter and said the dog was "barking vigorously."

The man was described as white, of medium build, and "very dirty looking," with reddish hair and possibly a mustache.

His van had a crack on the driver's side of the windshield and curtains over the back windows. From the description of the van, Arsanto said officers thought it may be an early 1980s model Ford or Chevy. No license plate number was obtained.

Officers told the woman to call police immediately if the van was seen again.

The White River School District was notified of the incident and bulletins were sent home with students. Also, the bulletin was sent to neighboring police stations.

Arsanto said this was the city's first reported luring case.

Jessica Keller can be reached at jkeller@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald