Police Issue Update On Investigation Into White Van From Old Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — Police said in an update Wednesday evening that "no evidence of a crime can be substantiated" in connection with a report from a 12-year-old girl that two men in a white van approached her and told her to get inside while she was walking in Old Greenwich earlier this week.

Police said on Tuesday that a 12-year-old girl reported to police that she was walking in the area of Sound Beach Avenue and Center Drive on Aug. 22 when a white van operated by two men stopped alongside her and the men asked her to get inside the van.

No physical contact was made and "no overt actions" were taken by the men to stop and get out of the van, police said Tuesday. An unknown person who was nearby saw the interaction and reportedly scared off the van, police said.

On Wednesday, Capt. Mark Zuccerella of the Greenwich Police Department said detectives were able to locate and interview the driver of the van.

The driver told police he was driving in the area and had to avoid striking another vehicle in the roadway, Zuccerella said.

"The detectives did locate a witness who did report hearing tires screeching at the time this incident was to have occurred. The operator, or his passenger, didn’t see anyone one the sidewalk, let alone the young female, and spoke to no one at that time," Zuccerella said.

Zuccerella reiterated that the department still wants parents to speak with their children about how to stay safe while out and about, especially with school starting in the next week.

The department offered up the following tips

• Safety is always best in numbers. Advise your child to walk to and from school or the playground with a buddy.
• If your child feels that he or she is being followed and they have a cell phone, they should immediately call 911.
• Never talk to a stranger. Strangers with bad intentions try to trick kids into helping them. Kids should never talk or answer their questions. If they do answer, it should be something along the lines of, "Go ask an adult," or, "I do not know, I am only a kid."
• Teach your child to think on their feet. They need to keep distance from strangers and not let someone get close enough that they could grab or touch them.
• Advise them to run or walk quickly towards an area where they see people, such as a shopping center, a home with someone outside, a busy roadway, or a park where they see people. They should never walk into an alley or location that further isolates them.
• Know your child’s walking/riding path to and from school. Determine a path together that is visible, even if it’s a slightly longer route home.
• Go directly to your destination. Pay attention to where you are going. Talking or texting on your cell phone is a good way to pass the time while you're walking, but it can distract you from noticing what's going on around you.
• Be aware of surroundings - who is behind you and in front of you. Are there occupied cars parked along your route?
• If someone approaches you or tries to get your attention, get away immediately. Cross the street or walk the other way.