Beware Possible Sexual Predator, Glen Rock Police Warn

A man in his thirties tried to lure three teenage girls into a vehicle near Glen Rock High School last month, police reported.  

At around 6 p.m. on October 20, the girls were walking near Glen Rock High School on Harristown Road at Hamilton Avenue when they were approached by a white male driving what was described as a small black sedan with light-colored seats, according to a police report.

The male, described as being in his thirties, with short dark hair, a goatee, and wire-rimmed glasses, pulled up to the girls and offered them $1,000 to show him their genitals, the report said.

According to police, the girls ignored his request and continued walking to the school and the vehicle drove off in an unknown direction.

Glen Rock Police Captain Jonathan Miller said Friday that the parents of one of the girls reported the incident to his department after 11 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9. 

It was then — three weeks after the incident occurred — that police were made aware of the attempted luring here in Glen Rock. Patrols have been notified and advised to be vigilant, Miller said.

GRPD is on a "heightened level of awareness for this particular incident," Miller said, adding that officers are patrolling those areas.

Detectives have had no additional leads on the case, but Miller said that parents and students should heed the advice given in the safety bulletin attached to this article.

"Parents should make sure they speak to their children," Miller added. "If anything happens [or if] something makes them feel uncomfortable while walking home, [students] should call 911 immediately."

officials could not be reached early Friday morning.

The incident is similar to others reported in Allendale and Montvale recently.

According to a letter sent to schools by police, on Oct. 25 at around 3:30 p.m. two fifth grade girls were walking home from school in Allendale when a man pulled up to them in a vehicle and said, “I will give you $1000 for …..” The students declined several times before running home and telling their parents. Their parents reported the incident to police.

The man was described as a short white male, around 30 years old, with dark hair. One student said he was seen driving a black SUV, while the other described it as a black pickup truck with a silver roll bar, police said.

Two weeks later, a similar incident was reported in Montvale. A man again approached an 11-year-old girl walking home from school and again offered $1,000 for sexual favors. “I promise you will like it,” the man said, according to police. The suspect was described as a thin white man around 40 years old with a scruffy beard and sunglasses. In the second incident, the suspect was believed to have been driving a newer-model black SUV, police said.

If school staff members or parents see the vehicle, or report a similar incident, they should immediately report the incident to the Glen Rock Police Department, either via 911 or by calling Sgt Reamy or Detective Calaski at 201-652-3800

Police caution approaching the suspect but if citizens can make out the plate, they're asked to contact police immediately.

In a letter on the Glen Rock School District website, the GRPD posted the following safety advice:

Please consider taking proactive steps with your children and making this a learning opportunity. Unfortunately, an incident such as this can occur 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Therefore, we must reinforce, with our children, appropriate precautionary measures that should be taken at all times, not just the day after we receive a report. Tuesday, it was a black SUV, but tomorrow it could be a white sports car, and the next day somebody on foot. We must be smart at all times and not just heighten our alert for 48 to 72 hours.

I encourage you to use this incident as an opportunity to speak with your children in an age-appropriate manner that will prepare them on how to react and how you feel it's suitable for your child to handle each and every situation. To help you with this conversation, I have included advice tips from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.

1. Walk the route to and from school with your children, pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they're being followed or need help.
2. Remind your children to go with a friend whenever they walk or bike to school.
3. Caution children never to accept a ride from anyone unless in each instance you have told them it is OK to do so.
4. Take your children on a walking tour of the neighborhood and tell them whose homes they may visit without you.
5. Remind your children it's OK to say NO to anything that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused and teach your children to tell you if anything or anyone makes them feel this way.
6. Teach your children to ask permission before leaving home.
7. Remind your children not to walk or play alone outside.
8. Teach your children to never approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they know the owner and are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult.
9. Practice "what if" situations and ask your children how they would respond, for example: "What if you fell off your bike and you needed help? Who would you ask?"
10. Teach your children to check in with you if there is a change of plans.
11. During family outings, establish a central, easy-to-locate spot to meet for check-ins should you get separated.
12. Teach your children how to locate help at theme parks, sports stadiums, shopping malls, and other public places. Also, identify those people who they can ask for help, such as uniformed law enforcement, security guards and store clerks with nametags.
13. Help your children learn to recognize and avoid potential risks so they can deal with them if they happen.
14. Teach your children that if anyone tries to grab them, they should make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.