Police: Student's Allegation of Attempted Abduction Fabricated

San Ramon Police investigators say the allegation that an unidentified man attempted to abduct a 13-year-old girl, who was walking home from school on Monday, is false.

According to police, the middle schooler reported that she was walking in the area of Davona Drive and Northland Avenue at 3:11 p.m. when a man pulled up in a white minivan and told the her to get inside. The alleged victim said she refused, claiming the suspect got out of the van and grabbed her wrist. She told police she pulled her arm free and ran.

“During the follow-up investigation, and additional interviews of the alleged victim, some discrepancies were revealed,” police said in a statement released Wednesday morning. “Eventually, we learned that the juvenile fabricated an incident that never occurred.”

As a result of the teen’s report on Monday, school officials sent an email to parents in the surrounding areas alerting them of the situation. According to San Ramon Police Lt. Denton Carlson, officers began investigating the case immediately and were given a description of the suspect and vehicle. Officer increased patrols near the schools and investigators released a sketch of the alleged suspect by Tuesday afternoon.

“The San Ramon Police Department takes reports of criminal activity very seriously. A reported crime against a child is a top priority. We have to investigate these situations fully in order to protect our children and community. It’s unfortunate that a scare in the community was raised by this fabricated incident. The San Ramon PD would like to thank those in the community and in law enforcement for information provided in an effort to assist in the investigation.”

“We are certainly pleased that this incident did not turn out to be what was originally reported,” San Ramon Valley Unified spokesperson Elizabeth Graswich said. ”Both the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and the San Ramon Police Department take all reports of criminal activity very seriously. While it’s important that students understand the seriousness of reporting criminal activity, even more so, we want them to continue to share reports of suspicious activity. We want our students to know that if they see something, or know something, say something. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority.”

See Also:

• San Ramon Police Investigate Report of Stranger Approaching Student
• San Ramon Police Seek Man Who Allegedly Tried to Pull Teen Girl Into Van

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