SALEM, IL — Salem Police are investigating a report Thursday night of an attempted child abduction. According to police, a 13-year-old female juvenile reported she was walking eastbound, on the south side of the street, near the 400 block of East Boone Street.

While walking, the suspect, who was travelling eastbound, pulled alongside her in a dark green van that “sparkled”, possibly a Dodge Caravan or similar minivan.

The suspect then stopped in the middle of the road and through his passenger side window stated, “Hey, your mom told me to come get you.”  The girl said she didn’t get into the van because she didn’t know who he was. The suspect then left and turned southbound on Hamilton Street and she didn’t know where the van traveled after that.

The girl told police that she didn’t see a dome light or headlights while the van pulled up next to her and she was unable to get a license plate number.

The girl described the suspect as a clean shaven white male who was balding on top of his head with a buzz cut. She believes the suspect’s hair was blonde. The suspect reportedly had a piercing on top of his lip with a black stud in it, had a lean build and was wearing a green and blue baggie shirt.

The girl added that she believed the suspect to be in his late 20’s or early 30’s. She also said she thought she observed the silhouette of an adult female sitting in the back seat of the vehicle.

At this time, the suspect has not been located or identified. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to share this information with the children and to remind them to never enter a stranger’s vehicle.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, or believes they can identify the suspect, please contact the Salem Police Department at 618-548-2232.