NYPD: 4 Men In Blue SUV Tried To Lure 4 Children In Borough Park, Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD is investigating at least two attempted child-luring cases that happened just minutes apart in Brooklyn.
Police believe the same suspects approached four children. One incident was captured on surveillance video, CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas reported Tuesday.
The footage shows a blue Toyota RAV4 approaching 10- and 11-year-old boys standing at the crosswalk of 47th Street and 18th Avenue in Borough Park by themselves at around 8:20 p.m. on Saturday.
"There's children out until about 9 or 9:30 at night," one area resident said.
According to police, four men inside the SUV said, "Come here boys, come here."
At one point the video shows the driver and backseat passenger beginning to get out of the car. The children backpedal before running away.
"It raises the alarm and reinforces what the parents are telling the kids," Borough Park resident Alex Weinstock said.
The second incident happened on 55th Street between 15th and 16th avenues. Police said a car fitting a similar description approached a 12-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy, and the men inside the car apparently asked the kids if they wanted candy.
"You used to be able to go out here 12, 1, 2, 3 in the morning and feeling secure. Now, 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, you can't even walk the streets here. You always have to look whose behind you, whose on the sides," the area resident said.
The two incidents were just 30 minutes and a few blocks apart. All of the kids relied on their instincts and got away unharmed.
"At least the kids are doing the right thing. They're running away and they're doing what they're supposed to be doing," the area resident said.
It's a community filled with children. Only now residents say they'll be more vigilant.
Police are reviewing all available surveillance video to better identify the vehicle, and hopefully arrest the suspects.
Anyone with any information is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
