Hatfield police looking for suspect in attempted luring

HATFIELD, Pa. - October 15, 2013

The incident happened around 10:00 a.m. Monday on Wheatfield Circle.

According to investigators, the nine-year-old victim was riding his bicycle when a van pulled up beside him and the driver instructed the boy to get into the vehicle.

The boy fled and the driver allegedly drove off.

The suspect is described as a man in his mid-30's with a salt-and-pepper goatee. Police say the van the suspect was driving was maroon or red in color and had damage to the driver's side fender.

The van had Pennsylvania tags that began with the letters YHE.

Amie Schroeder was out jogging when she noticed the van, occupied by a man she did not recognize. It was still there when she returned from her run.

"It's a very small court, it's not a through-street. There shouldn't be a maroon van here 45 minutes later. We know everybody who lives on this little block and it was weird," she said.

Schroeder went inside to grab her camera phone and, as she came back out, her next-door neighbor that man had just tried to lure her nine-year-old son into his vehicle.

Unfortunately, the suspect saw Schroeder trying to snap a picture of him.

"He speeds off. He peels off down the street, doesn't even stop at the end street and turns left. So I didn't even get a shot of it," she said.

"We're just hoping that this guy understands that we saw him, he didn't go unnoticed, and he really shouldn't come back."

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to contact police at 215-855-0903.

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