Suspect in gray van tries to lure child

A warning for parents in the East Valley, a person in a gray van may be trying to abduct kids. This week, a man tried to get a child into a van.

It happened earlier this week as the elementary student walked home from an after school program, luckily, his parent was close by, but it’s a warning to all parents to stay alert.

The Coachella Valley Unified School District director of security tells us the stranger approached a child around 6 p.m. Monday.

“A student was walking home with his parent and he was a little bit ahead of his parent, there was a gray van with a Spanish-speaking individual in it who stopped and tried to get the student in the van,” said Security and Transportation Director Glenn Perry.

The boy did what authorities say all kids in that situation should do, run away. His parents, then called police.

“It’s very concerning, our goal is to provide a safe learning environment do everything that we can. This happened after school in the neighborhood, so we do maintain a roving patrol, 24 hour patrol in this district so my patrol officers are in the area at night now doing extra patrol during the dismissal time,” said Perry. “I’ll be maintaining a presence as well.”

Schools in the district told parents what happened through a phone message. The district wants parents to be on alert and talk to their kids about stranger danger.

“Run away, make a lot of noise, make sure they notify their parent and have the parent notify police and us as soon as possible,” advises Perry.

Teachers are also talking to students.

“We alerted all of the staff as well. Bus drivers, for example, will be keeping their eyes open when they drop off their kids at their bus stops and things of that nature,” said Perry.

Monday was the only time the van was spotted and this is the only incident reported in the area. CVUSD tells us it is still keeping an eye out just in case.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is also investigating