Men try to coax girls into van - Mokena, Illinois
**Sent by First Amendment -IF the ADULTS would watch for this Van, not wait for another child to see it, they stand a good chance of catching them as they seem to be traveling a small area here! -First Amendment ** ILLINOIS: http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/236089,313NWS1.article Men try to coax girls into van Two attempts made in Mokena to get kids into black van with purple stripe January 31, 2007 By Jim Hook Staff writer Twice last week men tried to coax children into a black van with a purple stripe in Mokena. Tinley Park police sent letters last week to parents informing them of the incidents. Tinley Park Police Cmdr. Phil Valois said police sent the letters after receiving calls from several Brookside Glen parents whose children attend Arbury Hills School near 197th Street and LaGrange Road in Mokena. "We sent this letter out because of the proximity the school is to Tinley Park, and because Mokena police sent letters home with Arbury Park students about the two incidents," Valois said. In the one incident, on Jan. 22, one of the men reportedly chased a third-grade girl through the neighborhood, police said. The girl was able to make it home safely. Children told police the black van had "squeaky brakes and a cracked rear window." Newspaper covered the rear license plate. The driver of the van is described as a white man with a gray beard and a "nervous twitch." The passenger is a black man who sits in the back seat of the van. Police said the van was seen several times last week throughout the neighborhood. Anyone with information is asked to call the Mokena Police department at (708) 479-3912. Jim Hook may be reached at jhook@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5961