Police are investigating a suspicious incident involving an unknown man who allegedly offered a young girl a ride to school in Coronado Wednesday morning, claiming he was her neighbor.
According to the Coronado Police Department, a 13-year-old girl was walking to school along Third and Palm avenues just before 8 a.m. when a stranger in a truck approached her. The man rolled down his window and allegedly offered the girl a ride.
Police said the girl declined. At that point, the man told the teen he was her neighbor.
The girl did not recognize the man and ran home to report the incident to her mother, who then called police. The man was last seen driving south on Palm Avenue.
Police said the man was described as a white man in his mid-50s, clean-shaven with strawberry blonde and gray hair. He was wearing a light brown shirt at the time of the incident. His vehicle was described as a gold-colored truck with a matching shell.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Coronado Police Department at (619) 522-7350.
In this case, police said the girl did the right thing by acting fast and running away. Police said children should walk to school in a group and avoid shortcuts and dark, isolated areas. They should also report anything suspicious to their parents.
Local
According to police, Wednesday’s incident does not appear to be related to a previous, recent incident that seemed somewhat similar in nature.
On Friday, two middle school-aged girls were standing on the sidewalk in the 500-block of F Avenue waiting to be picked up by their parents when an unknown man inside a van pulled up and offered them a ride. The girls ran away and called a parent.
In that incident, the man was described as light-skinned with brown hair and highlights. He was driving a burgundy, 1980s Chevy-type van with a dent on the driver’s side of the body panel, witnesses said.
