Back Talk Far North Dallas

Update on attempted child abductions

Last week on this blog I told you about two attempted child abductions near Mohawk and Bowie. According to reports, the suspect is a dark-haired man who appears to be in his mid-40s, and drives a late model four-door black Ford F-250 truck with Texas plates.

According to an email sent on behalf of the Estates West HOA this week, police arrested a man off Spring Creek Road last week they thought was the suspect. It turns out they had the wrong the guy.

Police think the suspect may have moved on to a new neighborhood, but they are still asking neighbors to keep an eye out. If you spot anything suspicious, call 911 and/or the Estates West Crime Watch hotline at 972.606.3310.

Crime Alert: another attempted child abduction

Last week on this blog I told you about an attempted child abduction near Mohawk Elementary. Well, now it seems there's been another attempt near Bowie.

According to an alert sent out by the Parkhill PTA, a girl was walking home from school Friday, Oct. 31 on Carta Valley and Dalmalley when a man in a black truck with Texas plates tried to convince her to get in the car. A neighbor witnessed what was happening and intervened, and the man drove away.

Neighbors are being asked to report any suspicious sightings to police and to alert their neighborhood crime watch groups.

Crime Alert: possible attempted child abduction near Mohawk Elementary

There's a crime alert that neighbors (especially parents) need to know about:

According to a post on the Highlands North HOA website, a couple of weeks ago a child was leaving school at Mohawk Elementary when he was approached by an older man in a white Dodge truck and asked to get in the vehicle. The child ignored the man, and then got in his parent's car. He immediately told his parent what happened, and they reported it to the school. The incident has been reported to police, and neighborhood crime watch groups are being encouraged to let neighbors know what happened.

Car crashes into UTD apartment

Last week a driver traveling down Waterview Parkway lost control of her car and crashed into a UTD apartment. The driver was not hurt---and neither was Crystal Layman, the UTD senior who lives in that apartment. In fact, she was making a sandwich in the kitchen when that car came crashing through her back door. "I heard a loud crash, and glass flew in my sandwich," she told the UTD Mercury. UTD police say there is more than $10,000 of damage to the apartment.

Crime alert: door-to-door scam

According to the Highlands North HOA website, there's a new door-to-door scam in the area that neighbors need to know about. There have been reports of a man has been knocking on doors, claiming that he's a UTD communications student who is selling books so he can raise money for studying abroad. A neighbor called UTD and it turns out the university doesn't have any sort of communications department--and there is no such book sale program. If you or your neighbors come across the scam, let your neighborhood crime-watch groups know about it.

National Night Out: Estates West

I went to the Estates West National Night Out celebration last night, as I'm sure a lot of you did in your own neighborhoods. Mayor Tom Leppert, councilman Ron Natinsky, and Advocate's own Ask A Cop columnist Deputy Chief Elliston were all guest speakers. I got to visit with several neighbors, many of whom have graced the pages of Advocate magazine. I snapped some photos throughout the night, which you can see online now. Thanks to all the Estates West neighbors for the lovely dinner, good conversation, and for making me feel so welcome, as always.

City council priorities: a curfew, a promoter and a trans-fat ban?

DMN city council reporter Dave Levinthal apparently spent some time at the city council's retreat this week, and he highlights a few ideas that council members are considering pushing later this year ... here's a sneak peak at what might come up during the next council term:

• "A daytime curfew for school-aged children in an effort to curb truancy," this idea courtesy of mayor pro tem Elba Garcia.

• Additional crime-monitoring cameras in troubled neighborhoods.

Woman thrown from car on Dallas North Tollway: update

A few weeks ago on this blog I told you about a woman who was thrown from a moving car on the Dallas North Tollway. The police are still trying to track this man, who is described as being about 20, having an olive complexion, short dark hair and driving a light-colored, older-model, four-door sedan. The victim says she met the man at Oktoberfest when he was with a group of friends. The victim's family is now reaching out to the public in the hopes that someone who was with him that night might come forward, or someone may recognize his car in the TxDOt video. If you any information, please contact the police at 214.671.3503. 

Video of woman thrown from car on Dallas North Tollway

A few days ago on this blog, I told you about a woman who was thrown from a moving car on Dallas North Tollway. Turns out a TxDot camera caught the whole thing on tape. The police have just released that video in a hope that it'll lead to some crime-solving tips. You can watch the video online.

Woman thrown from moving car on Dallas North Tollway

A 19-year-old woman was thrown from a moving car on the Dallas North Tollway this past weekend. She accepted a ride home from a stranger at Oktoberfest in Addison, but when she rejected his advances, she says he got angry and pushed her from the moving car near the Park exit.
She says once she hit the pavement, she heard a woman screaming for her to roll to the shoulder of the road, which allowed her to walk away without any major injuries. She never found out who that woman screaming to her was, but that advice likely saved her life.
Like many of you, I was at Oktoberfest this weekend, and it's always disturbing to hear about things like this happening so close to home. This woman is quoted in an NBC 5 news story as saying the stranger she met at Oktoberfest "seemed completely nice." Call it a sign of the times, but this a sobering reminder of why it's not a good idea to ever accept rides from strangers, no matter where you meet them or how nice they seem.