The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

"WEEKEND STAR" Parents issued letters urging students By Rik Davie Weekend Star Letters to parents from local schools warning of "incidents" in the area and the needed caution for young people had some parents worried. In the first incident, it was determined by Durham Police officers that a child mistakenly fol- lowed a woman from a local school and set off alarm bells with staff at the school to a possible child-abduction situation. Police quickly looked into the matter and later stated that there was no cause for alarm in the case. However, they were soon alerted to another more sinister sounding occurrence. Durham Police Constable Brad Durst, a community liaison officer for North Durham schools, told The Star that two young students walking home from an elementary school reported a man sit- ting in a car who exposed his genitals to the girls and made sexual sugges- tions. "We have investigated the incident and while we have no witnesses other than the students at this time we are taking this as seriously as we can and schools always -- with our support -- err on the side of caution in these cases and a warning letter was sent home," said the offi- cer. Const. Durst said that classes to street proof younger students are cur- rently underway in North Durham schools and he wants parents to know that street patrol officers are Phonebooks in one Port Perry and 85 qeldlele]= In one easy to read BIG TYPE {eld Ez l UY { 110 losigen vieect / 4 li: / IIALOALCALOC CAA) Advertisers BIEN EERE plWle] = YANVA LN [eS her at dalel adel ml SAT HAR #21 SIO ISTAS ISIS EAC IE always on the watch for strangers around schools. "We want the public to be a part of this and espe- cially if you live near a school or play area you have to take it on yourself to watch your community for strangers and persons who may be acting in what you feel is a suspicious or questionable manner," Const. Durst said. As for the most recent incident, "let your kids know they do not have to be afraid, but they should always be watchful and careful around persons unknown to them," he said. The officer that the public should call police if they see suspicious per- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2001 - 15 to be wary sons or strangers around local schools. Police are seeking a dark blue, older model full-size car with rust around the windows and wheel wells in the second case. Officers at 26 Division are pursuing several leads and ask that anyone with information call the Durham Regional Police at 1-905-579-1520 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- TIPS.