CALIFORNIA, Mo. -- California police are investigating an attempt to abduct a teenager at the Village Green Shopping Center Wednesday evening.
Police responded to a report that a thin, older white male with a scraggly gray beard traveling in a rusty, early- to mid-1980s two-tone conversion van without license plates approached a male teenager and attempted to coax him into the van. The teenager left, entering a nearby restaurant where he called his grandmother. The suspect and his vehicle were gone from the area when officers arrived to investigate.
"The California High School was advised of the situation due to after-school activities that were underway at the high school campus," police reported in a news release. "At no time did the police department believe the school to be at risk; the notification was a precautionary measure."
School Superintendent Dwight Sanders released a statement advising staff and students' parents of the incident.
"Following the release of Superintendent Sanders message, officers received numerous phone calls from individuals saying they could possibly have information," the police department stated. "Officers followed up on each of those leads, but as of this time, the vehicle and suspect have not been located."
Police also distributed a photograph on Facebook of a van that was intended to represent the suspect vehicle but was not a picture of the actual van involved in the incident.
Anyone with information on the suspect, vehicle or incident should contact the California Police Department at 573-796-2818.