Man Sought in Attempted Luring of Teen, Cops Say

Morristown and Morris Township Police are conducting a joint investigation after a 15-year-old girl said a man followed her on her way home from school.

According to a press release issued Friday by Morristown Police Capt. Steven Sarinelli, at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, the girl was approached outside Morristown High School by who the alleged victim described to police as a well-dressed, pale-skinned Hispanic male with a heavy accent who was in a blue or black pickup truck that had landscaping equipment in the back and was parked on Early Street. 

The truck was further described by the teen as having two large headlamps on its roof.

The teen told police man whistled at her from his vehicle and followed her as she was walked from Mills Street to Mendham Road in Morris Township. The man then parked in the Lukoil gas station parking lot located on Mills and Washington streets and watched her from that location and then yelled comments as she passed by, according to the release.

The suspect then pulled out of the gas station parking lot, circled around Burnham Park and appeared to have parked his vehicle in an unknown location by Burnham Pool, according to the release. As the girl got closer to her residence on Mendham Road, she saw the suspect walking toward her. She began to run, at which time the suspect turned and went in the opposite direction, heading back toward Burnham Pool, according to the release.

Anyone with information or who witnessed anything suspicious is encouraged to contact the Morristown Police Department at 973-292-6737 or Morris Township Police at 973-326-7489. Information also can be provided anonymously through Morris County Crime Stoppers at 973-COP-CALL.