Crime & Safety

Reported Abduction Attempt a 'Misunderstanding:' Police

The alert went out Thursday morning.

Updated at  7 p.m.:

After issuing an alert about a reported student-stranger encounter, Romeoville police now say the incident was a misunderstanding.

District 202 Community Relations Director Tom Hernandez on Thursday night confirmed that after further investigation, police told the district they had determined that there was no attempted abduction. Earlier in the day, police had notified the district of a report that a man attempted to lure a 5-year-old girl into his vehicle. 

"This turned out to be a total misunderstanding," Deputy Steven Lucchesi told the Herald-Newssaying the man was actually there to pick up another student. When he told that girl to get in the car, the 5-year-old mistakenly thought he was talking to her, according to Lucchesi.

Police interviewed the man, relatives and witnesses, Lucchesi told the paper, and "we've verified there was no abduction attempt."

Original story:
Plainfield School District issued an alert to parents Thursday morning after a man allegedly attempted to talk a 5-year-old child into his vehicle. 

Romeoville police alerted school district officials to the incident, saying officers responded to a report of a man attempting to lure a child at Tammany and Tuscany lanes in the Lakewood Falls subdivision. 

According to District 202 Community Relations Director Tom Hernandez, the incident happened Wednesday at a bus stop. Hernandez said a report would be sent home this week with all preschool, elementary and middle school parents.

Romeoville Deputy Chief Steven Lucchesi said the girl was walking home from the bus at around 4 p.m. Wednesday when the man approached her.

"He had mentioned that he could drive her home," Lucchesi said. Luckily, an older relative of the girl was also getting off the bus, and spotted the man talking to the 5-year-old. The relative brought the girl home, and a parent called police, Lucchesi said.

The alleged subject is described as an African-American man in his 40s, about 5'8," with brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a gray hoodie and gray pants, and was reportedly seen returning to a small blue vehicle, police said.

Romeoville police are investigating the incident.

Anyone who has questions or information regarding the incident is advised to call Romeoville police at 815-886-7219.


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