Reported 'Suspicious Male' Was Just Lost Grandpa Asking For Directions: Police

LIBERTYVILLE, IL – An elderly man who became lost while trying to pick up his grandchild from a Libertyville school Monday evening ended up being the same "suspicious" man who approached two girls near Highland School, police said. The incident, authorities are now saying, was a misunderstanding. The girls told police the man pulled his car over on Garfield Avenue, between Route 176 and McKinley Avenue, at about 5:11 p.m. and attempted to engage them in conversation and offered them a ride in his small silver-colored sedan.

The girls fled the area and ran home before calling police.

The "suspicious" incident was shared on the Libertyville Police Department and District 70 Facebook pages. A short time later, an elderly man called police and told them he believed he was the man who frightened the girls. He said he was visiting the village and became lost while trying to find Highland School in order to pick up his grandchild, according to an updated post from the Libertyville Police Department.

He pulled over to ask for directions and when the man, who spoke with a heavy accent, began talking to the girls, they ran away, according to police.

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Authorities interviewed the man and the girls and determined the suspicious report to be "unfounded."

"Our investigation and interviews with the girls involved corroborates this information, and we do not believe there was any criminal intent in this incident," according to a Facebook post from the Libertyville Police Department.

Authorities also commended the girls for acting quickly and responding in the right way considering the circumstances.

"They were approached by a stranger, they were startled, so they ran away and sought help from an adult who then promptly called the police," according to police.

The reported incident prompted authorities to remind families and students of the following precautionary practices:

• Go straight home when directed, after school.
• Stay on public sidewalks and streets when walking to and from school.
• Walk to and from school with other students.
• Do NOT engage in conversation with strangers.
• NEVER get into a vehicle with a person - even if the child knows that person - without parent permission. If a stranger approaches, immediately tell a trusted adult such as a parent or teacher.
• Obey all traffic signals and pavement markings.
• Always cross at designated crosswalks, street corners and traffic controlled intersections.
• Remember to look both ways before crossing the street and never enter streets from between parked cars or from behind shrubbery
• When crossing with a crossing guard, wait for permission to cross the street. Watch carefully, a flashing "walk signal" or visible crossing guard in the street does not mean it is immediately safe to cross