Girls Harassed by Suspicious Men in Two Oak Park Incidents

Posted June 15 at 6:35 p.m.

Oak Park, IL — In two different incidents, pre-teen girls were verbally harassed by suspicious men the afternoon of June 14 on neighborhood sidewalks in Oak Park.

Around 4:15 p.m., an 11-year-old girl was walking home from the Rehm Park swimming pool when she was approached near Wesley Avenue and Adams Street by a man in a blue, four-door sedan, according to Oak Park police.

The sedan was headed north on Wesley, and it came up from behind the girl. The driver rolled down the window and asked the girl if she wanted a ride. The girl told police she screamed and ran home.

The girl described the man as white, about 25 years old with blond hair and a beard. She said he was wearing a rainbow-colored shirt, police reported.

Around 5:15 p.m., two 12-year-old girls were approached by a man on foot in the 500 block of N Harvey Avenue, police reported.

The man asked the girls if they wanted to hang out. The girls left the area and walked to a home. 

The man is described as white, in his 20s, about 5 feet 8 or 5 feet 9 inches tall with a slim build, short brown hair and a beard. He was wearing a long-sleeved, possibly red and white shirt and beige pants, police reported. The girls said he seemed to have trouble walking and his speech was slurred.

The 11-year-old girl involved in the first incident told police the man in the car didn't seem impaired.

Police have not yet determined if the the two incidents are related.

“These types of incidents are unnerving, but the victims clearly knew what to do and did it,” said Oak Park Police Chief Rick C. Tanksley in a statement. “I urge parents to make sure their children know to never approach an unknown adult under such circumstances, and to immediately get to a safe place and call 911.”

Tanksley also asked Oak Park residents to call 911 to report strangers or odd behavior in their neighborhoods.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call 708-386-3800 or email police@oak-park.us. Anonymous tips can be made at 708-434-1636 and at oak-park.us/crimetips.