DSP News Release: Friday, March 27, 2009- ***Parental Advisory*** - After School Student Approached and Harassed in Shopping Center Parking Lot

Location of Incident: Four Seasons Shopping Center, Route 896 and Four Seasons Parkway, Newark, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time of Occurrence: Thursday, March 26^th, 2009, at approximately 6:00 p.m.

Suspect(s):  Black male, 30 – 35 years old, with thin sideburns and short hair.  The suspect vehicle is only described as black in color.

Resume: Yesterday afternoon, a 10^th grade student from Hodgson Vocational Technical High School participated in an after school sporting program.  She finished practice and boarded the bus to go home. 

The bus dropped her off in the area of the Four Seasons Shopping Center in Newark.  The student got out and proceeded to walk through the shopping center to go home. 

A black car drove up behind the female student.  The operator of the car, a male subject, rolled down his window and began to ‘blow kisses’ at the girl.  He then started to, what the girl described as, ‘cat call’ her. 

The student became nervous and started walking quickly.  The operator of the car then propositioned the girl to get into the car with him.  She started running and continued to run until she got home where she told her parents what had happened.

Anyone with information pertaining to this case is asked to call the Hodgson Vo-Tech School Resource Officer at 302-832-0274 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

Cpl/1 Jeff Whitmarsh says, “Parents are encouraged to speak to their children about this incident.  Although this particular case occurred in Newark, this is a good time for parents of all schools and districts to speak to their kids about this very important issue.”