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Male, SUV sought after JPS student approached

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Police Department said it was looking for a male driver of an SUV who reportedly approached a student Tuesday morning and asked for help finding a dog.

The incident took place around 8 a.m. on Hotchkiss Street at Dearing Avenue.

In a statement sent to parents, and posted to its website, the school district said: “As our priority is to keep parents informed, this morning a Washington student reported that a car stopped and asked for help finding their dog. The student refused and came directly to school to report the encounter. The Jamestown Police Department was informed. As student safety is our number one priority, we ask that you have a conversation with your children about the importance of not talking to strangers, or if any stranger approaches them, to report it immediately to an adult as the Washington student did this morning. We need to all work together as a community to help keep our children safe.”

According to Capt. Robert Samuelson of the Jamestown Police Department, the person was a white male driving a large blue SUV with white stripes and dark tinted windows. Samuelson said the man asked the student to come to the SUV to help him find his puppy. The student refused and immediately went to the school to report what happened.

“We have all of our cars specifically designated for school zone patrols during the school hours when kids are walking to school,” Samuelson said. “This student did exactly what they were supposed to do.

“Children should never approach any vehicles of people that they don’t know under any circumstance,” he continued. “We are actively looking for this vehicle and operator at this time.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Jamestown Police Department at 483-TIPS (8477) or through the Tips 411 cellphone app.

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