Police in Texas are searching for possible kidnappers after two incidents in which strange men chased or approached young children in broad daylight.
The incidents, the first of which occurred in Richardson, both took place on Monday, with the other occurring in Dallas.
In Richardson, a young girl was in high school when she noticed a stranger driving past her several times and staring at her.
In panic, the unknown girl ran to a house on the road and found shelter.
Homeowner Shane Burke caught the young girl on his security camera hiding behind his car to get away from the vehicle before showing up at his door.
In panic, the still unknown girl ran to a building on the road and found shelter, seen here
Homeowner Shane Burke caught the young girl on his surveillance camera hiding behind his vehicle to get away from the vehicle before appearing at his doorstep
Burke told NBCDFW he was grateful to be able to work from home Monday morning.
He told the newspaper: ‘First she hid behind our car to see if he would come back and sure enough he came very slowly. And again, she was very clever.
“She was doing everything right. When I opened the door, she started explaining that someone was following her. She was really shaking.”
He continued: ‘She didn’t say, ‘I don’t think he said anything,’ she said, ‘He keeps walking up and down the street really slowly and staring at me, and it makes me feel uncomfortable,’ and that’s true.
Burke’s wife took the girl to school while he alerted police who arrived on the scene.
He added: ‘I don’t know what this man’s motive was or what he was up to, but she said she didn’t know him.
“He wasn’t an ex-boyfriend, or a family member, or anything like that, so whatever. This is serious. This was a close call. Luckily, she did everything right.”
According to RPD spokesman Mike Wieczorek, the suspect vehicle is a black or dark blue 2014-2016 Toyota Corolla S.
The only physical description police have is that the man is bald, between 20 and 30 years old, has dark skin and may be Hispanic.
Hours after the incident in Richardson, Dallas police responded to an attempted kidnapping in the far north end of the city
In the terrifying clip, a man is seen getting out of the vehicle and running towards her son Jay, who quickly runs back to his home, before the man runs back to his car.
Hours after the incident in Richardson, Dallas police responded to an attempted kidnapping in the far north end of the city.
Genna Skolnik said her sons invited their friends over for a play date at the start of the school year and were told to stick together and never split up.
CCTV footage from the home showed two vehicles pulling up next to the boys, including a white SUV, described by police as a Toyota Four Runner.
According to the youths, the men in one of the cars said to them: ‘Come and look at our car.’ One of them was shocked by this and suggested that the group run away.
The gruesome clip shows a man getting out of a car and running towards her son Jay. Jay quickly runs back to his house, after which the man runs back to his car.
Skolnik told the newspaper: ‘Suddenly I hear the door fly open and I hear: Jay is being kidnapped. Jay is being kidnapped.
“The guys in the car said to them, ‘Hey, come talk to us and look at our car.’ One of the guys was really scared and said, ‘We’ve got to run.’”
Genna Skolnik said her sons invited their friends over for a play date before the start of the school year, and were told to stick together and never split up.
She continued: ‘They called over to my son and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a soccer player in the car, you really need to come talk to him.’
“My son said, ‘I don’t talk to strangers!’ and they backed up and Jonathan started running.”
Skolnik managed to take a photo of one of the vehicle’s license plates
Unbelievably, a passenger in a white T-shirt and shorts gets out of the SUV and runs after her son, turning around after noticing the adult with a cell phone in her hand.
Skolnik was able to take a photo of the vehicle’s license plate. Dallas police are investigating the incident.
Burke added that the young girl’s situational awareness and quick thinking were admirable.
Skolnik managed to capture a photo of the vehicle’s license plate, seen here, as Dallas police now investigate the incident
He said, ‘ When you go to school, be aware of your surroundings and don’t stare at your phone all the time.
“If someone is following you, pacing you, staring at you, call 911 or get help from an adult, do whatever. Never get in that car. Stay away.”
He added: ‘These children are valuable to all of us in this community. If someone does this while they are in school, the whole community will be involved.’
“We’re going to find out who you are and what you’re up to. This is outrageous. You can’t come to our neighborhood and do this. We won’t tolerate this.”
Dallas and Richardson police told NBC 5 there is no indication the cases involve the same suspects or that there is any connection.