SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — Several reports of attempted kidnappings of children in Saratoga Springs have parents concerned.
In a social media post on Thursday, the Saratoga Springs Police Department said they have received two reports of possible kidnapping attempts in the Harvest Hills area.
FOX 13 News spoke with Assistant Chief of Police Bill Robertson on Friday. He says they have received several calls about similar incidents.
He says there have been two incidents that have also since been recanted.
The two reports of attempted kidnappings, Robertson says, include an incident that took place April 18 near Harvest Hills Park.
"They took a report of a 12-year-old girl who was walking home from the park and, she described a white van that pulled up, next to her in the street and a white male asking her to get into the van," said Robertson.
Robertson says the girl walked briskly away from the van.
"At one point, she stated that he opened the door at that point, she started to run, he got back in the van and left the area," said Robertson. "That first incident on the eighteenth of April included a description of a white van, a male balding, middle forties, Caucasian."
Another incident, Robertson says, involved a 10-year-old boy, which Becky Martineau says is her son.
"It was about 6:30 and he returned home just before seven," said Martineau.
She says that was Wednesday night, just as she was getting ready to leave her Saratoga Springs home.
"At first he was running and I'm like, oh, yeah, you got some good exercise," said Martineau.
However, Martineau quickly learned that wasn't the case.
"He's like mom, mom, he punched me and I kicked him and I got away," said Martineau.
She says her son was walking the family dog in the area of the park.
"He saw the shadow of a man following him," said Martineau. "In his words, he was punched in the back of his knee which made him buckle and fall forward, as he was falling forward, he kicked backwards and made contact with the attacker and then my son was able to straighten up and just run away."
The recent reports are something Robertson says his department is taking seriously and that they have been doing increased patrols in the area.
"I would say it's, you know, each officer is getting up there 10 more times a day than he would in between other calls," said Robertson.
Martineau told FOX 13 News on Friday that she discussed 'stranger danger' with her kids Wednesday night and praised how her son handled the situation.
"Our community has really stepped up, I just really want to make sure other communities are being vigilant and hopefully this man can be caught," said Martineau.
Police say if anybody sees anything suspicious, they can call the non-emergency dispatch number at (801)-798-5600 or call 911 if it is an emergency.
