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UPDATED - Roswell PD: Look Out for Suspicious Person Approaching Children
After an incident earlier this month, the Roswell Police Department are urging residents to keep an eye out for any unusual person approaching children.
UPDATED, Friday, 1:58 p.m. -
After a suspicious person approached children playing at a residence off Cox Road on Aug. 7, the Roswell Police Department is urging parents to keep an eye out for any unusual or suspicious activity, but they have ruled out any wrong-doing on the part of a man who delivered mail to a local residence.
Police have confirmed that there has only been one case reported where children have been approached. It happened when a white man went to the front door of the complainant’s residence off of Cox Road. The man walked to the open garage where several children were playing and handed mail to one of the children, saying that their mail had been delivered to his house by mistake. He started walking back toward his truck when he turned around and started to return to the house. At that point one of the children told him he was a stranger and should not be talking to them, according to the RPD press release.
The parent of the house was able to see the person as he was driving away.
"It is possible that this person may have been legitimately delivering mail that was improperly left in his mailbox; however, we take all reports seriously and are investigating this case," stated the original press release.
Roswell Police Spokeswoman Lisa Holland confirmed to Roswell Patch in an e-mail that the department did, in fact, believe the mail exchange was legitimate.
The mail exchance incident was the basis for an e-mail circulating the community with a name of a registered sex offender living off Jones Road, Holland said. The e-mail, which spread through Alpharetta and Milton also, said the man was riding through the neighborhoods on the north end of the city of Roswell.
"He was investigated by our department and was ruled out," she said, noting the department will still do extra patrols in several local neighborhoods this weekend.
"We encourage everyone to always be vigilant and keep a watchful eye for unusual or suspicious behavior and contact the police as quickly as possible," said the original press release.
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
Thomas Wayne Shelton
11:43 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
The seems a little over the top to me. Did the mail he deliver actually belong to the house where he delivered it? Seems to be a pertinent part of the story. And if it did and someone called the police ... wow!
Christine Foster
11:50 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
Thomas, It is my understanding from the press release that it was the home's mail; however, I also wondered and am waiting on a response from the department. Will update with the answer when I know for sure.
Glamma
12:45 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
He should have either placed the mail back in his own mailbox marked "Delivered here in error" so the postperson could re-deliver to correct location OR if he chose to deliver it to the correct home himself, he should have simply placed it in their mailbox and not approached the children.
Christine Foster
2:17 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
The department confirmed the press release, saying it was the family's mail that was delivered. I've updated the story to make that clear.
Lee Fleck
12:34 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
I would like to suggest that Chief Orrick take all the officers he currently has assigned to community relations “feel good “ programs and return the active patrol presence from its current level of just 70% and get all 10 patrol cars per shift back out in all 5 zones.
Michael Reissig
1:09 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Well put Lee, this response was way over the top.