This just in from the Coeur d'Alene Police Department:

   Yesterday at 4:15pm the Coeur d’Alene Police Department was contacted by an adult female who stated her twelve-year old granddaughter was followed by a van while walking home from school. The adult female said the incident occurred at 3:20pm.

Officers spoke to the twelve-year old female and she stated she was walking home when she noticed a van pass her slowly. She said she had just started walking east on Mullan Ave. from 15th Street when she noticed the van pass by her slowly. She said the van was also traveling east bound. The van drove off, but shortly after that it was following her again. The victim said the van pulled up next to her and the driver motioned for her to get in. She shook her head no and the van drove off.

When the victim approached 20th Street she saw the van parked on Mullan Ave. facing west. The vehicle had moved to the East side of 20th Street. The victim phoned her grandmother on her cell phone and her grandmother met up with her on 20th Street. They looked for the van on Mullan Ave. but it was no longer there. The victim described the van as dark blue in color with grey stripes and tinted windows.  She described the driver as possibly 40 to 50 years of age. He was unshaven and wearing a royal blue baseball cap.

A similar incident involving a male suspect driving a blue/grey full size van with Washington plates and no hubcaps was reported to Post Falls Police Department on November 9th 2010 at 3:10pm.

In that case the male suspect was described as mid 30’s, wearing a white t-shirt, and black and grey zip up sweatshirt with no hood. He was described as having blond short, cropped hair and brown eyes. The female victim said she was walking home from school in the vicinity of Mullan Ave. and Spokane St. when she was approached by the male in the van. He asked her if she wanted a ride and the victim said no. The male encouraged her to get into the van. The victim said she walked into the nearby library and the male circled the block twice in his van.

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to call the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at 769-2320 or Post Falls Police at 773-3517. Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Wayne Longo and Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug are asking the public to review “Stranger Danger” information with their children and report any suspicious circumstances to the Police Departments. A helpful brochure on child safety is located on the Coeur d’Alene Police website under Community Relations at www.cdapolice.org .