Man follows young girl walking her dog in Bergen County
HILLSDALE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A young girl had a frightening encounter while walking her dog Tuesday after a man in a car followed her home, then pulled into her driveway and approached her house.
The girl was walking in her neighborhood on Hopkins Street when she noticed an older dark-colored four-door sedan slowly drive past her, make a U-turn at the end of the block, and then turn back towards her direction.
The girl became nervous and quickly ran back inside her home.
Police say the driver pulled into the girl's driveway, got out of his vehicle and tried to enter the home from a side entrance when the mother confronted him. The suspect got back into his car and sped away down the block.
"The man did not say a word. He did not act aggressively towards her, he did not run towards her," said Sgt. Mike Camporeale of the Hillsdale Police Department. "He very calmly got out his car, walked towards the door, was confronted, turned around and walked back to the car."
People are concerned because many homeowners on the block own dogs and frequently walk them up and down the streets.
Neighbors say that crimes like this are very unusual for the town.
"This is a very nice neighborhood and we have never had any incidents," a neighbor said. "I have been living here for over 20 years and I can not remember anything like this ever happening."
The mother described the man as a medium build and in his early 20s.
The vehicle was muddy and it was difficult to read the license plate number.
Police are now reviewing surveillance footage from nearby homes and stepping up patrols in the area.
The Hillsdale Police Department is looking for anyone who resides in the area that may have information about this incident to contact the Hillsdale Police Department Detective Bureau at 201-664-4200.
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