Police urge North Texas parents to stay vigilant after 2 suspicious incidents involving kids

DALLAS - Both the Richardson and Dallas police departments want parents to be on alert after two suspicious situations targeting kids. 

The first incident involved a man seemingly stalking a Richardson high school student.

Dallas police are investigating a second nearby incident as an attempted kidnapping. 

Police do not believe the two incidents are related. But with more kids out walking and biking to school, both situations bring attention to the need for kids and parents to remain vigilant. 

Richardson homeowner Shane Burke’s surveillance camera captured the moment a J.J. Pearce High School freshman noticed someone was following her as she walked to campus around 8:20 a.m. Monday, the day before classes started for Richardson ISD.

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"I was sitting down to get coffee. I work from home, and my doorbell rang," he recalled. "This girl was here who I did not know. She was distressed and said someone she did not know had been following her."

Burke's wife drove the teen to J.J. Pearce while Burke decided to see what his surveillance cameras captured. 

Suspicious car in Richardson case

"This guy was going back and forth back and forth. And each time, a little slower and slowing way down as he came to her. That is when I realized this is a serious incident," he said. "During the time I looked, he went back and forth six times.

First, the student stood by a tree. Then, she hid behind the homeowner's car, and the suspicious car drove by again. Clearly unnerved, the girl rang the doorbell for help. 

Student hides behind car as suspicious vehicle passes by

"It was definitely traumatic. But that said, she did all the right things. She was situationally aware. She knew this guy was tracking her and wasn't staring at her phone," Burke said. "My dog calmed her nerves. When she saw my dog, she decided to reach out for help. And thank God she did."

Richardson police released still images of the driver in a dark-colored four-door sedan believed to be a 2014-2016 Toyota Corolla. 

Later that Monday afternoon just two miles away in Far North Dallas, police received a separate report of an attempted kidnapping on Old Pond Drive.

In that case, police say children were playing outside when a man in a white SUV asked one of them to look at something in the back of his vehicle. The child ran, and witnesses say the man chased the child a short distance and then left.

Suspicious car in Dallas attempted kidnapping case

In the second case, Dallas police are looking for a white Toyota 4Runner with the license plate THS9209.

Dallas police say a dark-colored Chevy pickup may also be involved. 

A spokesman for the Richardson Police Department says they were able to interview the student and her father. 

Burke says he saw a car with the same distinctive hubcaps parked near his home at 7:30 p.m. Monday. 

Richardson police have been actively patrolling the neighborhood.

Richardson ISD says district safety and security staff will have an increased presence in the PHS area on Tuesday and over the next several days.

In the meantime, the district is asking for kids to walk in groups and with adults when possible. They also ask children to avoid alleys and deserted or enclosed spaces.

"If anything out of the ordinary occurs on the way to or from school, run to a safe place and report it to a trusted adult, staff member, or parent immediately," read a letter to parents.

Anyone with information is asked to come forward.