The Perry Police Department received a call about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday about a suspicious person, according to Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn.
Vaughn said two elementary school children explained they were riding their bicycles to school around 8 a.m. Tuesday when a man in a light blue van spoke to them at a stop sign near the Wiese Corp. The children described the man as a white male about 40 years old.
They said he asked them what their parent’s name was, Vaughn said.
One of the children said the male had his arm extended out the window of the van at the time he addressed them.
The children were concerned because they did not know the man, and they did not answer him but hurried on to school. They reported the suspicious interaction to administrators of the Perry Elementary School, who immediately called the Perry Police Department and conferred with them on the appropriate actions.
The man in the van has not been identified, and it is unknown what his intentions were. Vaughn said the man did not exit his van or ask the children to get into the van.
Vaughn said the Perry Police Department wishes to speak with this individual and seeks the public’s help in identifying him. Anyone with information about the man in the light blue van should call the Perry Police Department at 515-465-3646.
The Perry Police Department reminds parents to speak with their children about what they should do if they are approached by a stranger and encourages both children and parents to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement as soon as possible.
