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5th Attempted Luring Reported To Upper Darby Police

By Steve Beck, John McDevitt

UPPER Darby, Pa. (CBS) – Police in Upper Darby say they are now investigating a fifth report of a man attempting to lure teens into his van over the past two weeks.

Investigators say the last incident was reported to them Tuesday evening. A female told police she was walking home from Upper Darby High School Monday afternoon when she was approached by a man in a van. The suspect tried to get the girl to get into his van, but she refused and the suspect drove away.

Monday's attempted luring is the fifth reported incident that Upper Darby police believe are all related. During two of the incidents, police say the man exposed himself while performing a lewd act.

The most recent incident happened shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday morning at Radbourne Road and Church Lane in the Stonehurst section of Upper Darby.

According to Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood, a man in a minivan approached a boy as he was en route to school and ordered the boy to get into the vehicle. The boy refused and the man drove off.

Police say on March 5th at Huey Avenue in Brookfield in Drexel Hill, a man allegedly drove slowly next to an Upper Darby High School female student exposing himself.

Another, officials say, happened nearby on February 23rd at Forrest and School Lane where a man exposed himself to a girl there.

The fifth luring incident, police say, happened on February 19th at a playground at Highland and Derwin were four boys were approached by a man on foot.

"These type of guys, in my experience, are frightening, and certainly he's a sicko, and we gotta get that person off the street as quickly as possible before something happens," Chitwood said.

A sketch of the suspect was released just after 6 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Luring Sketch
A sketch of the luring suspect (credit: Upper Darby Police Department)

The suspect is described as a heavy set male in his 50's with dark hair and a salt and pepper beard, driving a green or blue minivan.

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