Man approaches kids on way to school

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - Pflugerville police are asking for the public's help to identify a man who they say is targeting girls between the ages of eight and 11. 

On Wednesday, PPD received a call at 7:15 a.m. of an attempting kidnapping on the hike and bike trail in the Falcon Pointe neighborhood in the 2500 block of Quiet Water Pass. The two female students, ages 9 and 10, were on their way to Murchison Elementary School.

"The male subject grabbed the older female by the shoulder, she screamed and the other female screamed," explained Lt. Laura Wilkes. "Then he cupped his hand over the mouth of the older juvenile female and tried to restrain her, but she broke free and both girls ran away from the scene."

The girls ran to their school and immediately told staff members what happened.

"Those girls did the most responsible thing: to scream, to get help, and they ran as hard as they could," said Lt. Wilkes.

Around the same time, a school official who was at his home at the time, saw a male subject running away from the hike and bike trail and climb into a red truck.

To report what you've seen

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pflugerville police at 512-251-4004.

Police believe Wednesday's attempted kidnapping is the fourth time the possible suspect has been spotted.

Timeline of previous incidents:

• Dec. 18, 2012: Travis County Sheriff's Office had two reports (one on Speidel Drive and one on Farm Pond Lane) of suspicious activity involving a man who tried to speak to juvenile females.
• Feb. 1: Pflugerville PD took a report from a mom who said her daughter and two other girls were walking home when a man approached them (matching the suspect description) and started asking questions and cursing at the girls.
• Feb. 13: Pflugerville PD investigating an attempted kidnapping in the 2500 block of Quiet Water Pass.

"From the December incident to now, he's [suspect] accelerating," said Lt. Wilkes. "At first it was conversation, then touching, now this and it's all within a three mile area."

Police said they are searching their sex offender database to see if there are any similar matches.

"We have interviewed and eliminated known suspects who may be close to the area," said Lt. Wilkes. "We spoke to a couple of them and eliminated them."

Although the incident happened off campus, the school district said it is taking the situation very serious and will have additional security measures in place to ensure the safety of their students. They also alerted parents to an increased police presence while the situation is under investigation.

• Area that police are watching

While the cases have happened in the Pflugerville area, police ask parents to still be mindful. Authorities are worried that he could move on to a different area since he was scared away at Wednesday's incident.