Jackson police investigating possible luring incident at school bus stop

JACKSON TOWNSHIP,N.J.-The Jackson Police Department is currently conducting a follow up investigation into a report of suspicious activity and is asking for the public’s assistance if any residents have additional information.

On Thursday November 29, 2018 at 3:52 pm, Police Officer Darin McClain responded to the Colonial Arms Apartment Complex located at 80 West Veterans Highway for a report of a suspicious incident.

A resident of the complex reported that at approximately 3:12 pm, she was waiting for her grandson to be dropped off from the school bus to her. Her grandson is a student at the Switlik Elementary School which is located across the street from the complex but is dropped off at the complex by one of the busses leaving the school, which the grandmother meets with to pick him up.

It was reported that as she was waiting, a male suspect in a vehicle approached and referred to her grandson specifically by name, asking if she was the child’s grandmother. When she replied she was, the male stated that the child’s mother had sent him to pick up her son. The grandmother knew that she was the only one who picks up her grandson and that this wasn’t true and informed him to go to her apartment building to wait for her. The male drove around the complex and when the grandmother went back to her apartment, he was gone.

The male was described as a white male, possibly in his late twenties to early thirties. He had dark, trimmed brown hair and a beard and brown eyes. He was operating a newer, tan colored passenger style vehicle but no further description was available. It was reported that he spoke with the child’s grandmother and did not make any direct contact with the child.

The Board of Education is aware of this incident and is taking measures to address it. The police investigation is ongoing and is being followed up by School Resource Officer Colin Menafra and the department will have directed patrols in the area, as well at other elementary schools during today’s dismissal. Anyone with any further information is asked to contact the Jackson Police Department at 732-928-1111 or through the P3 tips online app.

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