Stranger Danger

Houlton youth thwarts potential abductor
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Even in Houlton, a friendly town where people nod or wave to say “Hello,” it pays to be street smart.
    The mother of a very savvy young boy said he told her that when a stranger approached him last week “to take him home,” he may even have cursed at him. Refusing to believe the stranger, the boy apparently foiled his potential abduction from the Gentle Memorial Building (Rec Center) on Oct. 13 somewhere around 3:30 p.m.
    Mrs. T. said she purchased a cell phone for her son immediately after the incident. And, although she is nervous “since that man is still walking around,” she is not overly concerned “because (her son) handled it the right way.” In the interest of safety, the Houlton Pioneer Times is not printing the full names of any children involved or their parents’ names.
A stranger’s approach
    Houlton Police Department (HPD) recorded a call at 5:20 p.m. about the incident. According to the parent of a witness, an adult Caucasian male approached the boy and said: “Your father told me to pick you up.” According to that parent, Mr. B., the child walked closer to his group of friends and said out loud:  “I don’t know you.” As soon as the boy said that, the man walked away without incident.
    After reviewing surveillance tapes from the Rec Center, police were not able to confirm the man’s identity. However, based on police interviews with a 17-year-old witness, not the victim, a composite sketch was drawn of the alleged perpetrator who was described as being in his late 30s or 40s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average to stocky build, showing about a one-day beard. Also part of the description, is that the male in question has thin, short, dark hair and was wearing a black jacket, dark footwear and jeans with a dark SW Collins baseball cap.
    Mr. B. stated that he and his son looked at photos at the police station after getting a call from HPD. “He was very calm about it,” is how the father described his son’s eyewitness experience.
Other attempts
    “I know of a couple of other times in the past that in Houlton when they have had a couple of attempts of trying to kidnap kids. It makes me, as well as anybody else, nervous. You don’t dare to leave your kids alone. It’s pretty bad when you can’t let your kids walk down the street without worrying about them being kidnapped.” Mr. B. has a teenage daughter as well as his pre-teen son.
    Mr. B. said both of his children have cell phones and know if there is any change in the family schedule, he or his wife will call them. Additionally, he said parents can give their children a code word if someone else is supposed to pick them up.
    Mrs. T. said she has used big news stories of kidnappings as learning experiences to help her children understand potential dangers and prepare them if the situation ever arose. She also said an incident of an attempted kidnapping in Houlton a few years ago was shocking because those types of situations are so unlikely here.
Safety first
    Mrs. T. added that she probably has coached her son as far back as when he was only 3-years-old to not talk to strangers and to be aware of potential dangers. But, she did acknowledge that in Houlton, which is such a friendly town, “it’s hard to live by those rules.” She said the family is monitoring Facebook entries and using Google earth to watch their home.
    When he spoke with the Pioneer Times, Mr. B. expressed his hope that the schools will announce precautions for parents and children to take. Mrs. T. applauded the efforts of Houlton Elementary School Principal Candace Crane who sent home a letter reminding parents to be especially vigilant and to discuss safety with their children the day after the Rec Center situation. “It’s just great that the school asked parents to pay attention to safety concerns,” Mrs. T. stated.
    HPD Officer Kris Calaman said the incident occurred in the common area upstairs at the Rec and was reported by a child’s mother. He added that since students in grades 7-12 are allowed to enter and exit the building at will, “parents should be aware of the children’s activities after school.”
    Calaman also stated that other children or parents may have information that could assist their investigation and they should contact HPD at 532-2287 or through the confidential tip line at 694-3545. At presstime Detective Carolyn Crandall was pursuing the investigation.