Wheaton cops probe attempted child abduction

Wheaton police say they are investigating an attempted child abduction reported Thursday night.

A preteen girl walking down North Main Street around 8:30 p.m. near Madison Avenue said she was approached by a black, older-model SUV with a loud muffler, dark tinted windows and rust on its body.

One of the car’s occupants, a white male, 17 to 18 years old with spiked hair and wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt, called out the car’s window, asking the girl if she wanted candy.

The girl ran to the home of a neighbor, who called the girl’s parents and police. The car sped off northbound.

“The young girl did everything right,” Deputy Chief Tom Meloni said. “But we cannot predict the actions of others. Ideally, it’s always best to have younger children escorted by older siblings or adults.”

Descriptions of the car’s three other occupants were not available. Police say none of the suspects left the vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Cmdr. James Volpe at (630) 260-2055.