Police warn of two men luring children

Gatineau police are warning parents about two suspicious men near two elementary schools.

They say the incidents don’t seem to be connected.

In one case, a man offered a ride to a young girl from École du Vallon, in the city’s northwest.

He was driving a white cargo van, possibly with two rear doors, and in the passenger seat he had a beige dog with a dark face. It was about 30 centimetres long.

This happened about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The man was white, with fairly pale skin, short white hair and a white moustache.

He was tall, thin, and about 60 years old. He wore a beige sweater, dark pants and a bandana, and he spoke French.

The second incident happened on Thursday near École des Cépages, when a man in a pickup truck pulled up beside a girl and asked her to help him find his dog.

The girl refused and ran away, and the man in the truck drove off.

He was driving a white Dodge Ram, possibly a model from 2012 to 2015, with four doors, no cover on the bed, and a thick coat of dust.

The driver was white, with a dark complexion, about five feet, eight inches tall and 140 pounds, wearing a brown tuque. He spoke French.

Gatineau police are increasing patrols around both schools and asking anyone with information to call them at (819) 243-4636, option 5.