Three separate incidents involving suspicious vehicles stopping - and their drivers talking to young girls - is being investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department.
No one had been reported missing or injured in the Fort Dodge incidents as of Friday evening.
According to information from the Fort Dodge Police Department, a newer model silver car with five black males reportedly approached three young girls by the Casey's General Store on Third Avenue Northwest - about a mile from Hillcrest Elementary School, Wednesday evening. One of the girls told her parent that the driver in the silver car "asked her to help find his kitty," according to a police department press release. It also stated that the girls told the driver no and the car left.
One of the girls involved in the incident with the silver car was also reportedly involved in an incident involving a white van at about 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
"Three young girls riding their bikes looked back to see a white van speeding toward them, but kept on going and did not stop or talk to them," according to the same Police Department press release.
The white van was similar to another suspicious vehicle that was involved in an incident Wednesday, police said. In the Wednesday incident, the vehicle was described as having a dark stripe. The van described in Thursday's incident reportedly didn't have a stripe.
On Wednesday morning, a woman on Second Street Northwest saw a white van prior to the school day near Hillcrest Elementary School. That van was a rusty, older full-sized white van.
"This incident happened on Wednesday morning and was only reported to the officials at Hillcrest School," according to the police. "She did not see anyone in the van talk to any children, but the lady felt it was suspicious enough to call the school and advise them of the incident. The Police Department was not contacted at this time."
The Fort Dodge police were initially notified of the first two incidents by the school which "only called to ask for extra patrol," the police press release stated.
A spokeswoman for Hillcrest Elementary School declined to comment Friday afternoon.
The incidents are still under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the Fort Dodge Police Department at 573-1426 or send an anonymous message through Webster County Crime Stoppers by phone at 573-1444, text messaging 274637 - include the letters LEC at the beginning of the text - or emailing www.wccrimestoppers.com
"If we have things like this happen, we need to have them reported - the sooner the better," said Assistant Fort Dodge Police Chief Kevin Doty. "Our mission is to keep people safe - and we care about the community."
Contact Angela Burch at (515) 573-2141 or aburch@messengernews.net