Man tries to lure boys into van, says 'I got some candy for you'

A man holding candy in his hand tried to lure two young boys into his van outside a school Monday afternoon in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

The 9-year-old boys left Howe Elementary School, 720 N. Lorel, between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. and were walking south toward Huron when a white van pulled up, according to a community alert from Chicago Police.

“Come here, I got some candy for you,” the man said as he got out of his van, candy in hand, police said.

The boys didn’t respond and ultimately ran to family members after the van began following them.

The suspect is described as a black man between 30 and 40 years old, about 6 feet tall, 180-pounds and was last seen wearing sunglasses, a black hat, a black hooded sweat shirt, a dark jacket and dark pants, police said.

He was driving a white van with windows on the driver’s-side and passenger’s-side doors and on the rear doors, police said. The boys also told authorities there was a male passenger seated in the van.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Area North detectives at (312) 744-8266.