Alameda Police Investigating Report of Suspicious Van Near Elementary School

Alameda Police are investigating a report of a ‘suspicious’ green van spotted driving slowly in the area near Ruby Bridges Elementary School last Friday. The report came in on Sept. 18 at about 8 a.m.— the same day and about twenty minutes before— Berkeley Police received reports of two attempted abductions by a man driving a dark green van.

“Responding officers searched the area around the school and were unable to locate a vehicle matching the description,” Alameda Police officials said in a statement.

Police said the witness believes the same vehicle has been seen in the area before. Investigators say they do not yet know if the Berkeley and Alameda incidents are linked. The Berkeley incidents occurred at about 8:20 a.m., according to police.

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• Police Seek Man Who Allegedly Tried to Lure Berkeley Students into Van

“Our detectives are actively looking into the Ruby Bridges Elementary incident,” police said. “We are cautioning all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us at 510-337-8340. In the event of an emergency, dial 9-1-1.”

Officials with the Alameda Unified School District are working closely with police to investigate the reports.

“Please note that at this time we do not know if the two incidents are related or involve the same van, school officials said in a statement. “We do know that APD has received no reports of attempted abductions or even attempted child contact related to the green van. However, these incidents can help us all remember to periodically have calm conversations with children about the importance of being aware of their surroundings (including people and vehicles), keeping a safe distance from strangers in cars who want to talk to them, and seeking the help of a trusted adult whenever someone behaves in a way that feels unsafe.”

At the end of August, officials in the Dublin Unified School District issued a reminder to parents on Monday about student safety following two reports of strangers allegedly trying to lure children into their cars.

Full story:

• Reports of Strangers Offering Rides to Students Prompts District to Issue Safety Reminder

School officials in Alameda say this is a good time to reinforce lessons about staying alert and being safe.

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