Alameda police arrested a person on Wednesday who they say tried to talk to school-aged children from a car several times this month, according to Bay City News and Patch.
How police found the car
Police began investigating earlier in October after reports of someone in a vehicle trying to talk to children walking to or from school. The person's intentions were unknown, but police said the behavior "raised concerns" and added patrols along common student routes.
Investigators found a residential camera that recorded one of the incidents. The footage did not show a license plate, but it showed the car's description and unique features. Police then identified the car using license plate readers.
On Wednesday, as elementary schools were about to let out, a detective checked whether the car had entered Alameda. It had. Police put out a be-on-the-lookout alert, and within 19 seconds an officer found the car near Wilma Chan Way and Marina Village Parkway, Patch reported.
What's next
The suspect, who was not named, was taken to Santa Rita Jail. Police did not say what crimes the person is suspected of. The case has been sent to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, which will decide whether to file charges.