Police Give Facts on 'Predator' Rumors

10/28/08 — The Hillsborough Police Department has received numerous e-mails from concerned citizens about rumors of a “child predator” seen in Hillsborough. The department has investigated these rumors thoroughly and would like to release the known facts.

On Oct. 16, a parent was walking with children in the Beckett’s Ridge neighborhood, off N.C. 86. A vehicle described as a silver/grey SUV stopped next to one child, who was walking ahead of the others. The parent stated that the driver leaned over in the vehicle but did not speak to the child and did not open the door. The parent called out, and the driver left the area.

Over the last few weeks, a silver Chevy Tahoe operated by a balding, heavyset white man has been seen in several areas. The SUV was called in as a suspicious vehicle by several residents and business owners because the driver was sitting in the parked vehicle in residential neighborhoods or in business parking lots. The person has been located and positively identified by Hillsborough police as a private investigator working in Hillsborough. While this person fits the description of the person in the Beckett’s Ridge incident, police are not positive he is the same person.

 

At this time, no report has been filed with the Hillsborough Police Department or the Orange County Sheriff’s Office of an incident involving a silver Tahoe or a young child at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hillsborough. In addition, neither agency has received a report of any other incident involving a silver Tahoe. According to reports made, no child has been contacted, spoken to or touched by a suspicious person in the past month in Hillsborough.

The Police Department believes it is appropriate to use this situation to have conversations with children about strangers and for schools and families to review their emergency plans.

Please continue to notify police immediately by calling 911 if you see a suspicious person or vehicle in your neighborhood. Police do not consider these calls to be a nuisance and will respond promptly.