Greenbelt Police Advise on How to Avoid Child Abduction Attempts

That well-worn phrase your mother always repeated to you growing up—never talk to strangers—is key advice, when it comes to avoiding abduction.

Greenbelt Capt. Thomas Kemp said that young people are savvy and "they should go with their instincts on not trusting strangers."

Police continue to investigate a possible child abduction attempt after a man  in the area of Springhill Drive and Edmonston Road Monday, Greenbelt Police Department said in a release.

"The man, a number of times, repeatedly asked her to come over to the vehicle and she resisted," Kemp said on Thursday, when police released a photo of a white truck they say was in the area the time the incident occurred.

Children and even older teens should be aware of their environment all the time, Kemp advised, "and if something doesn't seem right, they should pick up on that instinct and not dismiss it."

If a stranger approaches a child on foot or in a vehicle and attempts to have the child come with them or even do something specific with them, according to Kemp, the child should remove themselves from the situation as best they can and find an adult they trust and report it.

Police are asking residents to stay vigilant. Police have asked that anyone with information related to this incident contact the Greenbelt Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit at (240) 542-2133.