Police: Man offered candy, asked boys 'do you want to be scared?' in luring attempts

PUYALLUP, Wash.  -- Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly tried to lure a young girl into his car with promises of candy, and grabbed a young boy after asking him, "Do you want to be scared?"

The suspect, described as a white man in his 20s, is believed to be the same man and allegedly attempted to lure two groups of children over the past week, Puyallup police said.

The first attempted luring was reported around 7:45 p.m. Thursday near the Chesnut Hills Apartment Complex in the 200 block 21st Avenue Southwest, officials said. A 12-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister were playing in the parking lot when the girl was approached by a man in a car, police said. The driver allegedly offered the girl chocolate, but as the boy approached, the man sped off.

The children reported the incident, and described the driver as a white man in his 20s with curly hair. The man allegedly wore a black hat with a green logo and drove a silver car with tinted windows.

Three days later on Sunday, two 9-year-old boys were walking near their homes at the intersection of 27th Avenue Court SW and 20th Street Place when a car stopped near them. A man got out of the car and allegedly asked the boys, "Do you want to be scared?" The man then reportedly grabbed one of the boys, but luckily, they broke away and ran.

Police said the vehicle sped off northbound on 21st Street SW. The boys told their parents who called authorities. A parent interviewed told police they noticed the vehicle circling the neighborhood a couple of times prior to the attempted abduction.

The man was described as white, 20-25 years old, about 5'10" and 150 pounds. He was wearing a green and yellow long-sleeved shirt and a green hat on backwards. His hair was short and spiky, and he was in the car with a white woman. She was described as about 16 years old with reddish-blond hair and glasses.

The vehicle he was driving is described as an older silver Subaru Hatchback with purple tinted windows and a hood scoop. It has no front plate and a loud muffler.

Anyone who has information about either of these two attempted lurings is encouraged to call 911.