VANCOUVER Police are appealing for witnesses after a stranger tried to coax a teenage girl into a van outside Killarney Secondary School earlier this month.

“This must have been a frightening and unsettling experience for this teenager, who was just walking home from school when she was approached by a man who made her feel unsafe,” said Sgt. Steve Addison on Thursday. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do, by quickly going somewhere safe and reporting the incident to a trusted adult.”

The incident happened at approximately 3 p.m. on May 7. The victim, 14 years old, was walking just outside the school, on East 49 Avenue near Killarney Street, when she passed a red van that was parked on the side of the road.

The male driver, who appeared to be in his 60s and had grey or white hair, yelled at the girl to get in the car. She ran away, but the driver followed her for about a block and yelled obscenities at her.

“Everyone should feel safe and comfortable walking around in their own neighbourhood, especially a teenager who is just coming home from school,” said Addison. “We applaud this victim, who immediately reported the incident to a family member, and later called VPD. This allowed our investigators to canvass the area and find video surveillance of the suspect’s van.”

Police are now looking to speak to the driver of a dark red minivan with tinted windows.

Anyone with information, or anyone with dash cam video from May 7 between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in the area of East 49 and Killarney Street, is asked to call investigators at 604-717-0600.