Video of a Teen Avoiding a Stranger
This Video of a Teen Avoiding a Stranger in a Car Will Make You Talk to Your Kids About Safety
Suspicious Circumstance*Update 4/25/19* Thanks to some tips from our keen-eyed citizens, Vacaville’s Vice Unit was able to identify both the vehicle and the driver (a 24 year-old man from Vacaville) from this video. Today the driver was interviewed and Detectives are now following up on the statement he provided. The investigation is ongoing, but based on the evidence and statements we have gathered at this time, an arrest has not been made. With that being said, we will not be releasing the man’s identity at this time. We do not believe the driver’s intentions in this incident were related to human trafficking. We cannot thank our citizens and followers enough for all their efforts in helping us get to the bottom of this. This is another great example of our community coming together to ensure Vacaville is a safe place for all of us to live. Any information please contact Detective Brian Collins (707) 469-4735. For media inquiries please contact Captain Lydon (707) 449-5236. *Original Post 4/19/19* As we begin spring break in Vacaville we wanted to take a moment to remind parents and youth about some simple safety tips specific to strangers in cars. Please watch out for cars that are following you, never approach strangers sitting in cars and NEVER get into a car with a stranger. Recently a young lady was walking in the residential area near Ulatis Drive and Leisure Town Road when she noticed a man in a dark colored Pontiac following her. The young lady continued to walk while ignoring the vehicle. As she quickened her pace to get away from the man, he pulled further in front of her and stopped his car in the middle of the street. The young lady became scared and hid behind a parked vehicle. The unidentified man drove away briefly, but came back in another attempt to speak to the girl. The young lady continued to use the parked vehicle as a shield and when she saw the man driving away she began running for safety. The man was described as a black male with short, dreadlock hair, approximately 20 years old. While this man’s intentions, innocent or not are unknown to us at this time, we hope someone in our community can help us identify him, or he can contact us so we can talk with him about what happened. Any information please contact Detective Brian Collins (707) 469-4735.
Posted by Vacaville Police Department on Friday, April 19, 2019
Although talking to your kids about safety isn't necessarily a conversation you might have every day, now-viral security footage shared by the police in Vacaville, CA, of an anonymous teen avoiding a stranger in a car will make you want to revisit the topic ASAP. The clip shows a quick-thinking teen using a parked car to keep enough distance between her and a stranger who repeatedly stopped to talk to her. The most chilling part? After leaving the scene the first time, the driver returned — and backed up — in an effort to speak with her.
"As we begin spring break in Vacaville we wanted to take a moment to remind parents and youth about some simple safety tips specific to strangers in cars," the police department's post read. "Please watch out for cars that are following you, never approach strangers sitting in cars and NEVER get into a car with a stranger."
The police commended the teen's ability to use the car as a shield — something that parents should bring up with their own children when they discuss ways they can keep themselves safe — in case they ever get approached by someone they don't know.
"Recently, a young lady was walking in the residential area near Ulatis Drive and Leisure Town Road when she noticed a man in a dark coloured Pontiac following her," the police department wrote. "The young lady continued to walk while ignoring the vehicle. As she quickened her pace to get away from the man, he pulled further in front of her and stopped his car in the middle of the street. The young lady became scared and hid behind a parked vehicle. The unidentified man drove away briefly, but came back in another attempt to speak to the girl. The young lady continued to use the parked vehicle as a shield and when she saw the man driving away she began running for safety."
According to the post, the stranger in question — who is described as "a black male with short, dreadlock hair, approximately 20 years old" — is wanted for questioning. Parents should remind their kids never to approach strangers, regardless of what they say, or open the door and let them into the house if they knock. Teens should also avoid walking home alone, especially at night, even if the areas are deemed "safe" and are ones they frequent often.
