School division warns of suspicious activity

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This article was published 20/04/2017 (2555 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A pair of concerning incidents in a short period of time prompted Hanover School Division to issue a cautionary note to parents on Thursday.

The note, sent home with students on Thursday afternoon, noted reports of suspicious activity, while adding that no one had been harmed and RCMP had been notified.

Superintendent Randy Dueck told The Carillon that the first incident occurred on Wednesday, after 4 p.m., when a Mitchell Elementary School student reported that a stranger in a vehicle had offered him a ride.

Dueck said the student refused the ride and told his parents, who contacted the division and police.

On Thursday morning, Dueck said there was another report of a concerning incident after a man was seen taking photos of buses arriving at Clearspring Middle School in Steinbach. Dueck said a staff member asked the man to leave the property.

While isolated incidents are encountered from time to time, Dueck said, in light of two incidents occurring in short time period, the division communicated with parents to encourage them to speak with their children about safety when walking to and from school and also report any suspicious activity to the division and police.

Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Harold Laninga said the detachment in increasing its patrols around Clearspring Middle School and in Mitchell today. He said police continue to investigate to gather more information about the type of vehicle involved in the Mitchell incident and the identities of individuals involved.

Update 4:15 p.m.: Story updated to note Mitchell incident involved an elementary school student.