People in SUV Film Kids, Ask if They Want Candy: Police

A man in an SUV appeared to film two separate groups of boys Saturday evening along Lawn Avenue in Western Springs while the female driver asked them if they wanted candy, police said.

The woman told the boys the candy was in the back of the SUV, police said. She also asked if they “wanted to film some video” on an iPhone-type device the man was using. She did not try to actually touch the boys and drove away when they declined. The boys were between the ages of 9 and 14.

Both incidents happened around 6:15 p.m. in the 4800 and 4900 blocks of Lawn Avenue, police said.

The boys described the woman as white and in her 20s with dark hair and wearing a dark shirt, police said. She also had a raspy voice. They said the man was white and in his 20s, wearing a black baseball cap and white shirt.

The SUV was a late-model white Chevy Suburban, police said. They do not have a license plate number.

Western Springs police offer the following tips for protecting your children from suspicious people:

• Children should get a parent’s permission before leaving the house.
• Remind your child to stay away from people who approach them in a car or truck. They should run the other way toward a busy area, if possible.
• Strangers use both candy and cute animals to try to lure children to them.
• Children should not accept money or gifts without a parent’s OK.
• Kids should stay in groups because there is safety in numbers

Report any suspicious people or vehicles to the Western Springs Police Department by dialing 911 or 708-246-8540.