3 Twin Cities metro police depts receive series of 'suspicious person' reports

RAMSEY, Minn. (KMSP) - Three law enforcement departments in the Twin Cities metro are asking parents to remain vigilant after a series of “suspicious person” reports over the last two weeks.

On Feb. 21 in Ramsey, Minnesota just off of Highway 47 near 142nd Street, police confirmed a person pulled up near a child picking up toys in his front yard.

The suspicious man was inside a “newer” silver pickup truck with habitat plates, pointed to his passenger seat and signaled the child to come to the truck’s door.

“The parent was also at the location and noticed the child going towards the vehicle and they called [him] back,” Ramsey Police Chief Jeff Katers told Fox 9.

In a Facebook post, the boy’s mother claims once the suspicious driver sped off once he noticed the parents nearby. The alarming incident occurred just after 3 p.m.

“It is not a common day event here in Ramsey,” Katers noted.

Only two days later, an hour away in Cottage Grove, another suspicious man in a pick-up truck was reported to police.

Cottage Grove police confirm a man, also in a “newer” but “dark gray” pickup truck pulled up next to a 12-year-old girl walking outside of Grey Cloud Elementary School on Indian Boulevard at about 3:04 p.m. on Feb. 23.

The man attempted to pick the girl up and informed her he didn’t live far. Fortunately, she ran to her home and reported the man to her parents. The girl also described an American flag and eagle decal in the lower left back window of his pickup truck.

The most recent suspicious person report obtained by Fox 9 happened on Wednesday at Lake Elmo Elementary around 5:30 p.m.

According to the Washington County sheriff’s office, an unwelcome visitor went into the school and asked staff for a child by name.

School officials told the man to speak with administration to pick up the child and the man left on foot. Neither the family of the child or the after school care staff know the man, nor did he have contact with students.

While unnerved, parents in Lake Elmo tell Fox 9 they remain confident their children are in good hands.

“I trust the Washington County sheriff’s [office] to follow through on the investigation and I know the staff is going to do everything they can too continuously make sure our kids stay safe,” said Gina Jurca, a Lake Elmo mother.

The Washington County sheriff’s office, Cottage Grove and Ramsey police do take these cases seriously.
There’s no clear indication the cases are related, but each department says if you know anything about either case to call police right away.