This story has been updated and the headline changed to reflect the update.
Update:
Police say a suspect who tried to abduct children in Alachua County attempted another kidnapping Wednesday in a different county.
At about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday in Union County, Florida, the suspect — described as a middle-aged man with a beard and a balding head — sat in the passenger seat of a dark-colored van and offered a ride home to at least one child, according to a press release issued Thursday by the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred in Lake Butler near the intersection of Northwest 158th Avenue and State Road 238, according to the release.
A woman drove the van, described by the Sheriff’s Office as an older-model vehicle, possibly with flames painted on the side, according to the release.
The child immediately left the area after the incident, and the suspects did, too.
Since mid-March, several reports of a man in High Springs, Alachua County, attempting to lure children into a dark-colored van have shaken the area.
In that time span, the suspect has asked at least five children if they needed a ride in the vehicle, according to press releases issued by the High Springs Police Department.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office is currently working together with HSPD to find the suspects.
Original Article: The High Springs Police Department, located in Alachua County, is searching for a man who police said attempted to lure about five children into his van on separate occasions.
Since March 16, the unknown man repeatedly drove his dark-colored van up to children and invited them inside, according to news releases from the department.
At about 2:30 p.m. Monday, the man drove the van near a 10-year-old girl and attempted to coax her inside, according to a news release from the department. The incident occurred in the 20000 block of NW 257th Terrace, authorities said.
As the man spoke with her, the girl became scared and left the area, authorities said.
She described the suspect as a skinny white man with a scruffy beard and balding gray hair.
The reports began about three weeks ago.
At about 8:50 p.m. March 16, the man drove his van by a 16-year-old female and repeatedly asked if she needed a ride, authorities said. She said the man spoke with a heavy voice.
At about 7:15 p.m. March 28, the man appeared to follow three children in his van on Northwest 239th Terrace, authorities said. When the children noticed the suspicious van, they left the area.
In response to the reports, HSPD is working alongside other state and local law enforcement agencies to find the suspect, according to a news release.
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