Neighbourhood Watch - Child Approached

Dear Parents and Guardians,
I received the following from the Henry Farm Community Association's Neighbourhood Watch.  Let us work together to keep all our children safe from harm:

It is reported that on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at about 4:30pm, a 12 year old female was walking home from the bus stop alone and was approached by a strange man in a car at the corner of Shaughnessy and Havenbrook. He was parked in the driveway of the town houses (nose of the car over the sidewalk coming out of the drive) and as she passed in front of the car, he asked her if she knew where Leslie street was. She replied that she did not. He asked her again for directions. He then asked her where she was going and if she wanted a ride. He called to her again and asked her if she wanted to "make some fast cash". At which point she started running away. He turned left out of the drive and sped past her down Havenbrook to Deepglade (the West end) and turned down there. She raced across the street and luckily part way down the street she ran into someone she knew who walked her the rest of the way home. Needless to say, it was a terrifying experience for her.

The car (to the best of her knowledge) was an older model black 4 door sedan. Square shaped back. The man was in his early to mid 20's (could also have been late teens). Asian. Looked tall and slender. No accent. 

In the recent 33 Division Community Bulletin, P.C. Kelly Downie has some a most useful article on "Back to School Safety". You can review this item at http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/d33/20120830-d33_community_bulletin.pdf 

I can only encourage you all to work with our young ones to develop strong safety habits, and hopefully thwart incidents such as the one described above.

John Crichton

Chairperson, Neighbourhood Watch

Henry Farm Community Interest Association.