Reports of two attempted abductions in Gresham are 'not credible,' police say

UPDATE: A pair of reports of a man trying to lure girls into a car in the Gresham area over the weekend “are not credible,” police officials said Tuesday.

Police first reported that they were investigating two reports of men attempting to lure two different 11-year-old girls into their vehicles -- one surfaced on Friday and the other on Sunday.

After several hours of investigating the girls’ claims and reviewing surveillance video in the area, detectives deemed the reports “not credible” and said there’s no threat to the public.

“We take these incidents very seriously,” Gresham Police said. “While child luring by a stranger is rare, it is still important that parents take the time to talk to their kids about stranger danger.”

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GRESHAM, Ore. – Gresham police say two separate incidents in three days involved a man trying to abduct an 11-year-old girl.

Most recently, police say a man tried luring a girl into his truck Sunday on the west side of Northeast 162nd Avenue near Northeast Hoyt Street at around 6:15 p.m.

KATU News spoke with the 11-year-old girl. She's not identified for her safety. She says she went to let her dog out when a man in a four-door Dodge pickup with a blue canopy drove by her and then reversed and tried luring her into his truck.

“He asked me if I want treats for my dog or candy for me, and he said in a demanding voice, 'Come in my car if you want candy,’” she said. “I was thinking, like, today is not the day. I ain't about to get kidnapped. I knew better than to get into his car.”

She said "no" and ran inside her home to tell her mom what happened.

“She ran in the house, hysterical, she's shaking, slams the door, locks it and she comes in yelling, 'Mom, someone tried to take me.' I'm freaking out,” said Brittany, the girl’s mother.

Brittany tells KATU News her daughter is traumatized.

“She said she can't get his face out of her head. Today, she didn't want to go to school because she was scared he was going to come for her,” said Brittany.

The suspicious man is described as a white man between 60 and 70 years old. The girl told police he had light-colored, straight, shoulder-length hair. He was cleanshaven and had a black eye patch over his left eye. He was wearing a black and gray flannel shirt.

The man left the area, but police did not say which direction he went.

Several neighbors say lots of kids and families live in the area. Many parents say they’ve already had the stranger-danger talk with their kids.

“We have a secret word that we use; plus, my oldest is starting kindergarten, so that's something I want to plant in his head,” said Maggie Badhorse, who lives in the neighborhood.

On Friday, June 7, Gresham police say a man tried to abduct another 11-year-old girl off Northeast 197th Avenue and Davis Street.

They say he's older, with blond hair, a beard, and a face tattoo.

He drove off in a compact red car.

Police don't think these two incidents are related.

They say this is a good reminder for parents to talk to their children about what to do when confronted with this type of situation.

Anyone with information about the suspicious men should contact the Gresham Police Department.