FCSO Urges Parents To Discuss Safety After A Man Told 2 Kids To Get In His Truck

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Palm Coast, FL - The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is urging parents to speak with their children about safety following an incident involving a suspicious man approaching elementary students in Palm Coast.

On Wednesday afternoon, two elementary school students said they were approached by a man driving a pickup truck while they were walking home from their bus stop. The students told their parents that a black male between the age of 20 and 30 years old stopped near Rolling Sands Drive and Roxboro Drive and told them to “get in the truck.” The truck sped off after the two boys yelled out and ran for home.

The kids said the truck was black with chrome wheels. Surveillance footage from the area shows a vehicle matching that description driving around at the same time as the kids were being dropped off by the bus. The FCSO has not yet identified the suspect or found the vehicle, but deputies are continuously patrolling the area.

(Surveillance video still courtesy of the FCSO)

“These boys did the right thing by removing themselves from danger and telling an adult they can trust,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Please talk about personal safety with your children. Remind them to always use the ‘buddy’ system and walk with a friend or parent. It is important that they are aware of their surroundings, don’t talk to strangers, and report suspicious activity to a trusted adult, the police or the Sheriff’s Office.”

If you have any information, you are urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 386- 313-4911 referencing Case Number 2018-5333. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). Tips may qualify you for a reward up to $5,000. The FCSO says that there have not been any other reports of similar suspicious activities.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2018.