Strange men ask Williamsburg kids to get into car

UPDATE: Two strange men approached first graders during recess Wednesday at Williamsburg Elementary School and asked them to get into their car, authorities said.

Around 2:45 p.m., police were called to the school at 501 Highland St. after a teacher reported the incident. Williamsburg Assistant Police Chief Ray Garringer said the two men pulled up in an early 2000s white Mercury Sable and, from their car, talked to a few kids who were about 25 feet away. The children were near an opening in a fence that separated them from the men.

"They asked them if they would get in and go for a ride to help look for their dog," Garringer said.

Assistant Principal Michael Jepson said the men talked to three first-graders, but all refused to go to the car.

Garringer said the encounter lasted a few seconds before a teacher spotted the activity, he said. The white car sped off when the teacher approached.

“All the children had the same story, so we're taking it seriously and the school is taking it seriously,” Garringer said.

The suspects are believed to be white or light-skinned Hispanic men, and the driver had dark hair. No witnesses could offer details about the license plate, police said.

Several officers and sheriff's deputies saturated the area as school closed, but they did not find the car or the suspects. Police departments and schools in the area were notified of the incident, and the school sent a message to parents.

"Teachers and parents can take this as a chance to remind their kids about what to do in this situation and how to handle it," Garringer said. "I know several parents already have reminded their kids to walk in groups. It's going to be a good learning lesson."

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