Kamloops RCMP are investigating after a student who was walking home from school yesterday afternoon, Jan. 23, was approached by a man in a black sedan.

Cpl. Crystal Evelyn says the student was walking near the path on Greenstone Drive in Lower Sahali around 3:20 p.m. when they were approached by the man and told to get inside the vehicle.

Evelyn says the young person fled to a nearby business and called an adult.

“No license plate was observed, but the vehicle was described as a four-door sedan with a broken back passenger window,” Evelyn said. “The man was described as Caucasian, 30 to 40 years old, with a shaved beard.”

Evelyn says people with information or video footage that could help identify the vehicle or its driver should contact the Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and reference file 2024-2301 as soon as possible.

Mounties are also reminding parents and guardians to talk to their children and remind them about ways to stay safe when they’re approached by strangers.

“In this report, the youth did everything right. They did not engage with the man and quickly fled to a nearby business, where they were able to make contact with someone they knew was a safe adult,” Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Dana Napier of the Community Policing Unit said.

“As we work to further this investigation, we would like to encourage the public to review general street smarts: be aware of your surroundings, walk with a partner if possible, don’t engage with people you don’t know to be safe, and have those discussions about what to do if you are approached.”