TROY, Mich. – As two girls were walking home from Wass Elementary School Monday, a man exposed himself to them near Duke and Crowfoot streets, officials said.
A school official said the girls saw a white, four-door car, possibly a Ford, stop a white man, between 20 to 30 years old and wearing sunglasses arched his back and exposed himself to the girls.
The man was also described as having short hair and a goatee.
Officials said the girls went home and notified their parents, who reported the incident to police.
Neighbors and parents in the area said they are stunned.
"I'm flabbergasted," Alex McGregor said. "Something like this has never, never happened here."
Police said they will now have extra patrols in the area during the beginning and end of the Wass school day. They are also on alert for other neighborhood schools in the area.
Anyone with questions regarding the incident can call the Troy Police Department at 248-524-3451 or 248-524-3477.
The Police Department listed some suggested procedures to be used as guidelines with children regarding safety with strangers:
Do not accept candy or gifts from strangers.
Do not accept rides with strangers or people you do not know very well.
Do not walk or play alone. Walk with a friend or in a group.
Go directly home after school.
Never go anywhere without telling your parents first.
Be cautious when approached by strangers. If a stranger stops to ask a question, you should WALK AWAY. NEVER go over to a stranger or their car, for ANY reason.
Tell your parents or teacher immediately about a suspicious person
Seek assistance if a stranger forces attention upon you. If someone is following you, run to a house where you think someone is at home and pound on the door and yell. You can also run inside a building such as a store, where there are people. Ask someone to call the police immediately. Do not run into a woods, park or shrub area.
If possible, get the license number of any car that is following you and tell the police immediately. They may be able to catch the car before it leaves the neighborhood. But never wait around to get the number of description of the car. RUN FIRST.
If you call the police, it would help them to know the following information:
The address where you are.
The license number and description or the car.
The description of the person.
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Dawn Jorgenson, Graham Media Group Branded Content Managing Editor, began working with the group in April 2013. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media.