Crime & Safety

Sheriff Issues New Warning After Man Asks Middle School Girl to Help Find His 'Lost Dog'

Incident occurred on the northwest side of town Wednesday.

Just one day after Elmhurst police calmed residents' fears about an alleged attempted child abduction near York and Butterfield roads Oct. 17, the DuPage County Sheriff's Department has issued a new warning for parents.

A special bulletin was sent to parents via Elmhurst Unit District 205 at 6:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, as soon as the Sheriff's Office shared the information with the School District. It stated that a female Churchville Middle School student was approached near her home before school hours by a suspicious person.

Following is the Sheriff's statement:

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On Wednesday, Oct. 24, at approximately 6:45 a.m., a Churchville Middle School student was approached by a man driving a dark blue Pontiac. The man claimed he was looking for his lost dog and asked the girl for help in finding it. The girl’s mother saw the man talking to her daughter and came out of the house to investigate. The man then left. He is described as 30 to 40 years old, tall and clean shaven with short hair. This took place in the unincorporated area of Frontage Road and Oakdale Drive (Addison), located in the far northwest corner of District 205’s attendance area.

The release urges anyone with information related to this incident to call their local police. Elmhurst police can be reached at (630) 530-3050.

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In the incident in south Elmhurst last week, Elmhurst police said the threat was "not bona fide" and did not deem it necessary for District 205 to warn parents. In this case, however, after an investigation into the validity of the report, the DuPage County Sheriff's Office asked the district to inform parents.

Additionally, the sheriff's message said children should:
    •    walk to and from school in groups of two or more
    •    never talk with strangers
    •    stay away from unknown vehicles
    •    report any suspicious incidents to the appropriate adults: police, school staff and parents


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