Police are investigating two attempted abductions of juvenile females in Springfield.

The first incident took place on September 17. A thirteen-year-old girl was waiting for the school bus at Seminole and Weller when she was approached by a white man in a white vehicle. The man attempted to entice her into the vehicle but she refused. The girl ran from the area at that time.

The second incident took place on the afternoon of October 8. Two thirteen-year-old girls and one twelve-year-old girl had just gotten off the school bus at Pickwick and Wayland when they observed a man exit a vehicle and begin following them. The girls noticed the man following them was keeping pace with them as they walked. As the girls approached the apartment complex at 1410 E. Seminole, they began running and screaming. The man then ran away.

The juveniles in both incidents described the suspect as an older heavy-set white man with gray hair and a “scruffy” beard. The vehicle was described as a large older white car with four doors. Both incidents took place in very close proximity to each other.

Chief Communications Officer for Springfield Schools, Stephen Hall said, "Try not to walk alone. Be with a friend at least and always be aware of your surroundings, know what's going on around you. As you walk, if you see something in the distance, a place where you can go, you could run and seek help if you needed to."

Hall said school officials will be discussing safety tips and ways to report suspicious activity to a trusted adult during classes Wednesday.

Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at (417) 864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at (417) 869-TIPS (8477).