Park Ridge police are looking for a man who pulled up alongside a 15-year-old Maine South High School student and tried to lure her toward his car on Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities. The teen was walking home near Talcott Road and Cortland Avenue at about 1:45 p.m. when a driver in a dark-colored Mazda stopped and told her she "looked familiar." She replied that she was 15, and the man drove off, police said.
As reported by NBC Chicago, police say the vehicle was a dark-colored Mazda sedan and that the encounter ended once the teen declined to engage. The department has urged residents to stay alert in the area and reminded students not to approach or get into vehicles with people they do not know. No arrests have been announced, and investigators are asking anyone with information to reach out to Park Ridge police.
What police are asking
Park Ridge officers told NBC Chicago that the driver commented that the teen "looked familiar" before leaving the area when she identified herself as 15 years old. Police say they are working with only a limited description of the vehicle, mainly the make and color, and have not released a description of the driver. They are urging parents and guardians to talk with children and teens about avoiding conversations with strangers in vehicles and to immediately move away and seek help if they feel uncomfortable.
Similar reports across the area
The Park Ridge incident comes as several other attempted-luring reports have surfaced around Chicago this spring, a pattern that has police reminding families to stay on their toes. FOX 32 covered a case in Lincoln Park where a bystander intervened, and CBS Chicago reported another attempted child luring in the Park West neighborhood earlier in the season.
How to help
Police say anyone who saw a dark-colored Mazda near Talcott Road and Cortland Avenue around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, or who has security or doorbell video that might show the vehicle, should contact Park Ridge police. Authorities add that if you see behavior that looks suspicious or makes you uneasy, you should call 911 so officers can respond quickly and check it out.
