East Lansing Police are investigating an incident involving a white van in the Hawk Nest neighborhood.
Police were called to the 400 block of Avocet Drive around 5:30 p.m. Monday on reports a suspicious white van that could have possibly been following kids around.
A group of kids were walking to a local playground and walking back when they noticed the van slowly following them.
Parents called police when the kids arrived safely back home.
No contact was made with the driver.
The driver is described as a young and tall black man with scruffy hair and wearing a white t-shirt.
Charla Yingling has lived in the neighborhood for over a decade and is keeping her kids informed.
“We have a homeowners association and they sent out an email and an alert about what happened,” said Yingling. “I just shared with them what happened and told them what to do in the case that they saw the white van and to also share with their friends.”
ELPD Lt. Steve Gonzalez stresses this is not a trend however it is important to stay vigilant wherever you may be and to report suspicious activity to police.
“We are not that busy that we would not want to send officers out the area to investigate this,” said Gonzalez. “Something that potentially jeopardies the safety of our kids is something that we certainly want to be involved in.”
If you have any information, you’re asked to give East Lansing Police a call at 1-877-ELPD-TIP.
If your child does find themselves in a similar situation make sure they scream and run so they get the attention of anyone nearby.
If your kids have a cell phone, make sure they know how to call 9-1-1 and how to describe where they are.
