elementary school

Suspicious Van Circling Alameda School May Be Tied to Attempted Kidnapping in Berkeley

Alameda police are investigating if a suspicious green van driving around an elementary school last week is the same vehicle that attempted to kidnap children near a middle school in Berkeley.

At 8 a.m. Friday, Alameda police received a call about a suspicious van circling Ruby Bridges Elementary as kids were arriving for school.

About 20 minutes after the suspicious activity was reported in Alameda, police in Berkeley got calls about two incidents also involving a van. The Berkeley calls reported the van trying to kidnap kids near Willard Middle School on Telegraph Avenue and Stuart Street.

Berkeley police describe the driver as a 30- to 40-year-old man, dark hair, mustache and heavy set. He was last seen wearing a baseball cap.

Alameda police late Wednesday could not confirm if the van driving near Ruby Bridges Elementary attempted to kidnap anyone.

The cause remains under investigation, police said.

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