Public warned about suspicious man trying to lure kids into vehicle, videotaping them

TOWN OF OTTAWA -- Parents in rural Waukesha County said a suspicious man was caught on separate occasions watching their children from their driveways. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department is investigating the two incidents from the Town of Ottawa.

In a community full of children at play and Neighborhood Watch signs, the last thing people would expect to worry about is stranger danger.

"We all know everybody and we feel safe," said one resident. "It makes you even more uneasy when that happens because that doesn't happen out there."

A woman who lives near County Roads Z and D said on Friday, April 5, her 10-year-old stepsister had just gotten off the bus when a suspicious vehicle pulled into their driveway. The driver pointed a digital camera out the window as if he were recording a video.

Two days later and a few miles away, along Pretty Lake Road, a father said his 12-year-old and 3-year-old daughters were in the front yard playing while he was still inside.

"My 12-year-old daughter came running back in holding my 3-year-old and said that a car had just stopped in front of our house and a guy had jumped out really fast and got into his back seat and was rummaging around," the father said.

The man said when he rushed outside to confront the person...

"He looked at me and jumped into his car and he sped away very, very fast -- blew through the stop sign at the end of the road," the father said.

While neither witness knew for sure what this man's intentions were, they did recognize his behavior was off.

"You can't necessarily base anything off gut feeling, but you know when something's not right," the woman said.

"It's every parent's worst nightmare. It's shaken us and our family to the core -- that's for sure," the father said.

The suspect was described as a male, white, mid to late 30s, thin build with a mustache.

The suspect vehicle was described as an older Ford Explorer or Escape, light green or gray.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department.