Suspicious Driver Approaches 6th Grader

MMS Parent Press, the newsletter of the Maplewood Middle School Home and School Association, is reporting that a a man in a red compact car pulled over on Maplewood Avenue on Thursday at 3 p.m. and asked a 6th grade boy to get in.

The 6th grader was walking home from school when the man — who was unknown to the boy — pulled over and told him to get in. The boy did not comply. The man in the car was described as a black male, about 60, medium height, slender build. The event took place on Maplewood Avenue near Beach Place. The driver was heading towards Maplewood Village.

The Maplewood Police were contacted and told tschool administrators that they would be patrolling the area in unmarked cars.

On Friday, MMS Principal Jeff Truppo made an announcement on the school's morning broadcast regarding the incident and reminding students of the proper procedure to handle such situations as per the advice of the Maplewood Police Department.

The police advised that:

• Students should not be walking home alone.
• In the event of such an incident, a child should run towards people and tell them what happened.