Ave Maria Residents On Alert After Suspicious Incident

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Published on Monday, 02 May 2011 14:15

The major crimes unit of the Collier County Sheriff's Office is investigating a report that an employee of a landscaping company tried to entice a 10-year-old Ave Maria boy to come with him Saturday afternoon. The boy, who was not harmed, told his parents who called police but the man had left by the time deputies arrived at the boy's home in Hampton Village.

Residents became concerned after the Ave Maria University Security department sent out an alert Saturday night saying that "an attempt was made to lure a 10 year old boy into a landscaping truck." The email identified the landscaping company as Greencare Landscape Services, which recently began handling landscaping in several Ave Maria residential areas.

Collier County Sheriff's Office public information officer Michelle Batten initially told The Ave Herald late Sunday that deputies investigated and determined that there was no attempt to abduct the child. Ms. Batten said Monday afternoon, however, that the case was being investigated by the sheriff's major crimes unit.

The mother of the boy said that her son told her that the man, who had been driving a van with the Greencare name on it, asked him if he would like to "come with him," adding that he did not specifically ask the boy to go in the van. After the boy ran home and reported this, his mother said she saw the man in the bushes but by the time police arrived he had gone.

Thomas Minick, AMU's director of physical plant and security, said his office is in touch with the sheriff's office and he spoke to the sheriff's command Monday morning about the incident.

"We are still working with the sheriff's office and want to know who the person was, what he was doing here, and what his background is. We won't rest until we have answers to those questions."