On November 7th at 3:30 P.M. the New Westminster Police attended Queen Elizabeth Elementary school to speak with staff regarding a suspicious female. Two children, a male and a female, advised that just after 3:00 P.M. a female stopped her vehicle near the children as they stood on the sidewalk. The female reportedly instructed the children to ‘come on, get in’. The children quickly turned and walked back inside the school and reported the incident to staff.
The female is described as;
East Indian descent, 30-40 years of age, black hair pulled back into a bun, wearing a grey button down sweater, light blue scarf wrapped around and over her neck and shoulders, the female spoke in English with no discernable accent.
The vehicle is described as;
Make and model not known, dark blue in color, black or reddish colored door handles, grey colored seats, and an air freshener type article hanging from the rear view mirror possible Christmas tree in design, a grey blanket fringed with tassels was noted on the backseat of the vehicle.
The vehicle was last observed heading westbound on Salter Street. School staff was notified and a newsletter was sent home with all school children to advise parents of the incident. The file is currently under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Mike MacFarlane at 604-525-5411.
STRANGER AWARENESS FOR CHILDREN
The New Westminster police school liaison officer presents ‘stranger awareness’ discussions to elementary school students throughout the year. This, in conjunction with the educational support and guidance from teachers and parents, is of great benefit to children’s safety.
Here are some safety tips parents may wish to discuss with their child;
- A stranger is someone you don’t know
- Don’t tell your name or address to a stranger
- Never take money or candy from a stranger
- Don’t get in to a car with a stranger
- Never help a stranger look for a lost pet or play games
- Walk to and from school with friend(s)
- Don’t take shortcuts through woods
- If something unusual happens tell a trusted adult
- If a stranger follows you or tries to grab you, yell ‘I don’t know you’ and run away
- Don’t open your door to a stranger and never tell anyone on the phone or at the door that you are home alone
Educating children on ‘stranger awareness’ is not about causing undue fear but rather it is about providing young people with the skills and knowledge regarding personal safety. And as always, please contact the New Westminster Police Service to report any suspicious persons or activities.