Police: Suspicious man tried to get kids into his van in Hanson, offered them toys

HANSON, Mass. — Hanson Police are looking for a suspicious man they say tried to get children into his van by offering them toys.

The encounter happened shortly before 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, according to police.

A caller on Whitman Street told officers his son and a friend, both under 12 years old, were approached by a man who asked them if they wanted toys. The children said no, and the man told one of the kids to “just get in” his van, police say.

The kids fled the area and went home, where they told a parent what happened.

Police described the man as white, with a short buzz cut and glasses, between 35 and 40 years old.

Video from a neighbor showed a white work van, possibly a Ford E-Series E-250 cargo van, with roof racks and running boards. The children said the van had rust and writing on the back but were unable to remember what it read.

The van passed the children twice before the man interacted with them, and it remained in the area for a minute or two before heading toward East Washington Street, police say.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hanson Police Department at at 781-293-4625.

See Ring camera footage of the van below. The van appears in the first six seconds:

Hanson suspicious man (Hanson Police Department)

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