Mounties in Trail investigate pair of stranger danger reports

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The Trail and Greater District RCMP are investigating two suspicious incidents involving strangers approaching or following children.

Police say on Jan. 23 at about 4 p.m. two elementary school girls on Highway Drive in the Glenmerry area of Trail, B.C. were slowly followed by a dark blue 2014 Chevrolet Express van. According to the report, the van had an Alberta license plate CKZ7820.

The officers were not able to locate the man and his van, but is being described as having darker coloured skin.

The same day, at 1:36 p.m., Mounties were called about a suspicious man driving what was described to be a dark blue or black truck.

According to police, the truck followed a woman and her two children before parking, getting out and approaching them on Nelson Avenue in Trail.

The man allegedly smelled the woman's hair and asked her if she had a husband. He also attempted to make conversation with one of the children, asking them where they lived and if they liked presents.

That's when the woman noticed that inside the van were a number of children's toys and books. The truck bed contained several garbage bags.

Nothing further came of the incident, and the police were unable to locate the man and his truck after patrolling the area. The truck is described as a blue or black Ford Ranger or Chevrolet S10, with man being described as scruffy looking, between 36 and 45 years old, with dark, short and shaggy spiked hair and dark coloured eyes.

The RCMP do not know if these two incidents are connected and are seeking the public's assistance in locating the vehicles. If you spot either vehicle, contact the Trail Detachment at 250-364-2566 to speak to an investigator.