WEST NEWTON, Pa. — West Newton police are looking for a man in his 50s accused of trying to lure a girl into his van Monday night.
Authorities said the attempted luring was reported just after 7 p.m. in the Giant Eagle parking lot on Robertson Street.
Investigators said the man asked the 6-year-old girl if she wanted to see his crystal and rock collection, and tried to get her into his van.
According to police, the white man is in his 50s and has strawberry blond hair. He was driving a maroon-colored van.
The girl’s mother posted the story on Facebook Monday night as a warning to other parents, and word quickly spread around the West Newton community.
The post said, “A man tried to get my daughter into his van to see his collection of neat rocks, minerals and crystals. My daughter called for me and I ran over. He kept trying to get her to come, but I jumped in the car, locked the doors and raced away.”
“He needs to be caught. Obviously he’s a scumbag if he’s trying to abduct a little girl,” Rich Zook said Tuesday from the West Newton Giant Eagle. “My fiancée saw it posted on Facebook about 8 p.m. last night.”
Police Chief Gary Indof said authorities are taking the case very seriously, and are working with Giant Eagle to get the parking lot surveillance video.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact police.