MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Residents in Berclair are warning their neighbors to be on the lookout for a driver of a white van who pulled up alongside playing children and tried to lure them into the van.
The parents we spoke with said the children were playing outside when the man tried to get them into his van. None of the children fell for it, but parents are still worried.
“When it happened, they screamed ‘no’ and ran into the neighbor’s house,” said Kyler Latham, whose daughter was one of the kids approached by the man.
Latham realizes he could be having a much different conversation after he said his daughter and two friends got away from a man he believes was up to no good.
“I was just scared actually and just relieved that they knew what to do,” Latham said.
His daughter is only 6 years old but knew better than to take off with a stranger.
“I go over that with my daughter all the time because she’s friendly,” Latham said.
A neighbor’s camera caught the man pulling into the driveway on Castle Street. As soon as the children ran away, it seems the man was spooked by their reaction and sped off.
“Hopefully this guy gets caught or doesn’t try to attempt this anymore because that’s crazy,” Latham said.
Since Monday evening, Latham has found himself scanning the streets of his neighborhood looking for any van that resembles the one caught on camera.
“I’ve seen so many of those vans around here that I don’t even know,” Latham said.
He shared the terrifying ordeal on social media, and more than 1,000 people shared the post.
“There are a lot of kids around here, and people need to keep an eye on them,” Latham said.
Latham wants to make sure the stranger stays away from his home and out of his neighborhood for good.
Both parents said they had their doors open, so all of this happened very quickly.
The parents said from now on, their children won’t be allowed to play in the front yard.
