YARMOUTH, Maine —
Update
The Yarmouth Police Department updated its Facebook post Friday to say they have been in contact with the adult involved in the incident and that it was not an attempt to lure a child into a vehicle for nefarious reasons.
"This was NOT an attempt to lure a child into a vehicle for nefarious reasons, and appears to be a simple misunderstanding. An adult stopped to ask the child (a friend of his grandson - who was also in the car) if he wanted a ride due to inclement weather. The child did not see his friend in the car at the time. No other children were approached.
We sincerely appreciate our strong partnership with the School Department and our community, and being vigilant with suspicious incidents, especially involving children. We also want to recognize and applaud the child involved who did the absolute right thing by not accepting a ride from someone they did not recognize, and telling their family about the incident.
Regardless of where you live, it is important for all families to have ongoing dialogue with their kids about personal safety. Yarmouth is an outstanding community where people look out for each other, and this incident is another example of that."
Original Story
In a Facebook post Thursday, the Yarmouth Police Department said a parent reported that an unknown man drove up to their child and "asked them if they wanted a ride." According to police, it happened around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on McCartney Street.
Police said the child saw the vehicle continue to another unknown child before leaving the area. The vehicle was traveling toward West Elm Street from the direction of Yarmouth Elementary School, police said.
"As indicated, the call came in about 45 minutes after the incident. The only information available to share is a black SUV type vehicle with an older white male with white hair and a receding hairline, wearing a black shirt. The vehicle was last seen on West Elm Street traveling towards Main Street," police wrote in the Facebook post.
"While these incidents don’t rise to criminal conduct, they are suspicious, and concerning in nature," police added.
This incident is similar to an earlier incident Yarmouth police reported on Juniper Drive in late March. The vehicle descriptions are different, however. Police said they don't know at this time if these incidents are related.
"Please report any suspicious activity as soon as possible and speak with your children regarding the proper way to handle being approached by strangers," police wrote. "Additionally, share the two vehicle descriptions so they are aware of what to look out for."
