Police Warn Kids: 'Don't Get In Cars With Strangers'

BEAVERTON, OR — Beaverton police on Tuesday warned the community of two recent incidents involving adult males who reportedly attempted to get school-aged children into their vehicles. Neither Beaverton police nor the Washington County Sheriff's Office have identified any suspects at this time, though this is not the first instance of this kind of activity in the area.

Twice this month, on Sept. 5 and 14, two separate middle school students in Beaverton reported that men in cars asked them if they wanted rides. Both students are girls. Neither accepted the offer.

On Sept. 5, the girl was reportedly walking to school when a man in a white van pulled up alongside her near Southwest Butner Road and Southwest Spring Lane. The man reportedly asked the girl if she wanted a ride. She said no, and continued walking.

The girl told Washington County Sheriff's deputies she saw the van pass by her several more times as she continued walking to school.

On Sept. 14, another girl was walking near Southwest Cedar Hills Boulevard and Southwest Park Way when a man in a red Ford pickup reportedly yelled at her to get into his truck. She didn't, of course, and instead told an adult what had happened.

Beaverton police reportedly searched the area after the incident but did not locate the suspect vehicle.

In fact, police have not yet identified any suspects in either case or confirmed whether the cases are even related.

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Previously, two incidents in Tigard, one in Portland, and another in West Linn gave rise to public concerns that someone or some group was driving around in a white van, attempting to abduct children from around the metro region.

The incident in West Linn, which occurred just more than one week ago, turned out to be a misunderstanding; a girl mistook an apparently lost delivery driver — driving a rusty, beat up-looking white van — for someone more nefarious. Police met up with the driver and resolved the concern.

The two incidents in Tigard, on Jan. 3 and 11, both involved either one or two men in white vans offering rides and toys to kids walking to or from school. Tigard police were never able to confirm whether the men or the vehicles were the same in both instances.

And in April, another girl reported that she and a friend were walking near Woodstock Elementary School in Portland when a man in a white or silver van asked them to pick up a newspaper from a home around the corner and out of the way from where they were.

Again, police do not know whether any of these incidents are related. Anyone with information related to any of these incidents is encouraged to contact their local police authority.

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