Another Female Student Encounters Suspicious Man In A White Van

For the third time, a female student has been approached by a man in a white van who tried to lure her inside.

Rockland Police said in a post on the department's Facebook page that the latest incident happened on Thursday afternoon. A female juvenile, who was walking home from the University of Maine Campus in Rockland, was approached by a man in a white van who offered to give the girl a ride home. She refused and kept walking, calling police once she got home. She told authorities that she continued to see the van in the area after she turned down the ride.

This incident is nearly identical to another on September 20th, when Thomaston Police say a middle school student was approached by a man in a white van while she was riding her bike. He offered her a ride, but she refused.

Two days earlier, three men in a white van stopped next to a young girl walking home in Owls Head. They tried to convince the girl to get in, but she ran into the woods, and reported the incident to her parents.

Students are encouraged to walk in groups, in well it, high visibility areas whenever possible. Anyone approached in this way, by an unknown person offering a ride, is urged to run away and contact police. And police say parents should have a conversation with their kids about boundaries and strangers. Even if they've had the conversation before, it's a good idea to just refresh their memories.