Young girl victim of possible luring attempt in New Jersey
CLIFTON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police in New Jersey are investigating the possible luring of a young girl by a pair of men in a van pretending to make a delivery, and they're hoping video will help lead to arrests.
The incident happened around 3 p.m. Wednesday at a home on Dumont Avenue in Clifton.
Authorities say the girl was in her backyard when an adult male approached her from the driveway area of the residence.
The victim's mother spoke with Eyewitness News over the phone but did not want to be identified.
"She was playing outside on our deck with our dog," she said. "She noticed a van on our street, on our side, just driving slowly, following another teenager that looks like she had a backpack."
The individual reportedly indicated that he was there to deliver a package and requested the girl come get it from him.
"She said, 'Oh, no, not for me.' She ran into the house, the dog followed her, she locked all the doors," the mother said. "And that's when she called me and she called police, and she was hiding behind a window because she noticed the van left."
The girl recorded video of the van driving off, and a neighbor posted and shared it online.
"Thank goodness she acted quickly, and she is safe now," the mother said. "They were waving a piece of paper, but he was already inside the property and saying, 'You have to come to the van. We have some packages for you.'"
The suspect, who the girl said was a passenger in the van, is described as a Hispanic male in his 40s, approximately 5-foot-5 with a thin build and dark, curly, short hair. He was reportedly wearing a gray sweater and blue jeans, and had eyeglasses on.
The driver of the van was described as being a black male in his 50s wearing a red T-shirt.
The suspect vehicle appears to be a commercial van with black graffiti painted on the rear portion of the driver's side. The first character of the license plate was reported as being X, which is indicative of a commercially registered vehicle in the State of New Jersey.
Anyone with information regarding this incident and/or the identity of the occupants or whereabouts of the van is urged to contact the Clifton Police Department Communications Center at 973-470-5911 or the Clifton Police Juvenile Bureau at 973-470-5882.
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