Police: Suspects attempt to lure female students after school

Two students reported in separate incidents Tuesday that men tried to lure them into vehicles in Walla Walla and Sunnyside.

A 15-year-old was contacted Monday afternoon by a heavy-set man in his early 40s driving a silver minivan, police said.

The suspect offered the teen a ride and followed her for a few blocks, telling the girl she was pretty and that he knew her father, police said.

The suspect was wearing an orange hat and the van did not have a license plate.

The girl’s parents reported the incident to police Tuesday.

Sunnyside police were notified that a man in his late 20s or early 30s tried to coax a girl into a white sedan after school.

Police did not release the age of the girl or what school she attends.

When the girl ran off, the suspect chased her for a short while before leaving, police said.

The man is described as being between 5-foot-10 and 6 feet tall, with brown hair and some facial hair, police said.

Anyone with information in the cases is asked to call Walla Walla police at 509-527-4434 or Sunnyside police at 509-837-2120.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Police: Suspects attempt to lure female students after school."