Back 
Six Forestview Middle School students — at two separate locations — were verbally approached Tuesday morning by a suspicious white male driving an older white van with dark trim and luggage racks.
Baxter Police Chief Jim Exsted said around 8 a.m. two Forestview students, a male and a female, reported that they were approached by a white minivan near Mapleton Road. Exsted said the driver of the van yelled something at the two juveniles, followed them from one parking area to another, and then left the area when approached by a teacher. Exsted said the van, that was described as an early 2000 model, first approached the students near Mapleton Road, drove to the overflow parking lot between the athletic fields and then left through the south entrance.
Exsted said while investigating the incident Baxter police learned that a similar incident occurred at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in Brainerd. This incident wasn’t reported to law enforcement, but a white male in a white van approached four Forestview students asking them if they needed a ride while they were waiting for a bus near the intersection of College Drive and Southwest Fourth Street.
Anyone observing a vehicle matching the description are asked to obtain a vehicle license number and contact law enforcement. Anyone with additional information regarding either of these incidents are asked to contact Baxter police at 454-5090 or Brainerd police at 829-2805.
Exsted said at this time Baxter and Brainerd police are investigating the two incidents as they are connected.
“In both incidents it appears all the children did the right thing by not engaging the driver of the van,” said Exsted. “They either left the area or got to a safe place.”
Exsted reminds parents and children to use common sense when approached by strangers. Exsted said parents need to tell children how to respond to stranger danger. Exsted said children need to leave the danger area if they can or if they have a cellphone to call 911 or their parents.
“And if ever possible we ask kids to get a license plate number because it is very helpful for law enforcement,” said Exsted.
Willy Severson, director of schools in the Brainerd School District, said once the incident was reported, school officials alerted all the buildings to let staff know what was going on. Severson said letters also were sent home to all the elementary and middle school students about the incidents. Jon Anderson, the Forestview principal, also addressed all the middle school students in fifth through eighth grade through the school’s TV system about the incidents.
“Our No. 1 concern has always been the safety of our kids,” said Severson. “All our buildings do stranger danger curriculum in the fall. Stranger danger is an important part of curriculum and we are faithful about covering it with our students.”
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl.
Comments (29)
Add commentCan't they zoom in on that
Can't they zoom in on that license plate and run them to see who that vehicle belongs to???? Hope they figure this out soon!
Zoom
Nope, this unfortunately isn't CSI Brainerd. Due to the low resolution of the video you can't zoom in after the fact, see an image in the windshield, "enhance" and get the drivers face. Thats TV, doesn't always work like that in real life :)
If you would allow your taxes to be raised we can recommend they get HD cameras, what do you think?
I
I would think so. Maybe they have and keeping that quiet so he isn't spooked
Hmmm. I sold one just like
Hmmm.
I sold one just like this in the spring. Except the one I sold didn't have a luggage rack. Can't really tell from the picture if this van has one or not.
White van
My child was one of the kids involved in this. Yes, there definitely was racks on the top. He first approached the kids and asked them if they wanted a ride in his van. They told him "no" and then he left. He came back and drove up on the curb about 10 feet from them. They backed away from him, and thank God one of the other kids had a cell phone and called her dad. At the point when he saw here making the call, he left. He must have been a very desperate man to come back and then go up to the school. I am very upset with the school and the police department because he was questioned at the school by both an officer and the Dean of Students, and I was not informed. When children have to get off the bus at the same stop where there was this big of an issue earlier in the day, being informed of it would have been nice so I could have been there when he got off the bus! I learned about all of this when I got home from work at 5:30 last night. Am I wrong to think the school or PD should have contacted me?
van
Seen a van and the driver both matching the description at 615am Baxter cub foods plate number 427ckc
@ van
Maybe contact the police with this information????? Why post it on here
wondered
Wondered that too jts. Maybe wants to be a anonymous hero!
Call it in!! Next time it could be a relative of yours being pestered.
No phone
No phone
Yes, Cathyjjo ...
... you're wrong. The school acted responsibly by sending letters home with students and by the closed circuit message from the principal. Quit whining, you are not that special !!
What has the world come to?
Cathy do I have this right? The driver was questioned? He then drove away!
The reason I ask
If the driver was questioned then why wouldn't someone have taken the plate #
Driver being questioned?
No the driver was not questioned, my son was questioned at the school. The second time he came around the and pulled up on the curb by the kids, a girl took out her cell phone to call her dad. He then left when he saw her calling someone. The kids being afraid and young did not think about a license plate, I'm sure.
to lendad
If it were your child and they were getting off the bus alone and afraid (because you had no clue what had happened at that bus stop in the morning) what would you think then. I don't think I am whining at all!
@msdogie
Could have used the phone @ the grocery store!!!
I'll say this...
...the perp is about as bold as they come. I hope they catch him quickly.
Grocery Store?
The bus stop is not near the grocery store or were you referring to the Cub Foods incident?
to Muehlbau
You are so correct! To attempt anything with 4 kids standing there is very bold! It is not only my child standing at bus stops but many others in Brainerd, many standing there alone! I too, hope they catch him quickly. I'm sure this is a huge concern for all parents who are unable to be at the bus stops due to jobs and other life obligations.
to lendad and cathyjjo
Cathyjjo your not whining and Lendad I think you need to choose your words alittle wiser. I dont think you need to pick on a parent who is concerned about their child. I know the school cant do everything but if they took the time to interview her son by both a school rep and the police then yes the school should have informed the parent especially once the police were involved in questioning a minor. And yes the situation made her speical as it was HER CHILD that was interviewed and able to give additional information. I dont think we have to be mean on this sight to anyone and Cathyjjo thank your child for me for helping the school and the police to work towards catching this person and saving other children from being a victim.
All on alert
It is a concern and I think the parents of the kids involved
should have been called.
I would hope all schools in the area were alerted and yes
he will next go to where they get off the bus.
I'm not sure on calling in a plate number of a white van you
saw at Cub unless you saw a man getting in/out of it.
There seems to be a number of white vans in the area.
Parents have to be on alert.
The guy matched the
The guy matched the description and so did the van
The guy matched the
The guy matched the description and so did the van
I think
I think Mcdoogie is pulling our chain. See's the van and the guy and doesn't call the police because he doesn't have a phone? Not a phone anywhere huh? And yet you have internet?
I think you are just a smart aleck.
How are you going to feel if this guy continues on and you didn't do anything about it?
Nan
I hope Mcdoggie is not the guy. How could you see the van,
the guy matches the description and you put it on the internet?
Strange
This is too serious an issue for us to not take action.
I wouldn't want people to call in every white van they see,
common sense has to be there.
Let's hope they catch him soon or he goes home to his basement.
I have reported it.
I have reported it.
mcdoogie
Good and thank you for confirming the information and that
you reported it. You did what you could at the time and that is all anyone can ask.
white male, thats all we got
white male, thats all we got to go on? hair color? beard? clean shave? white male could be anyone. we need more info on what this man looked like. how old a man is he?