Police: Man Reportedly Chased Three Girls on McCarthy Road in Lemont

The Lemont Police Department and Cook County Sheriff's Office are investigating a report of "suspicious activity" involving a man chasing three girls in the 13700 block of McCarthy Road in unincorporated Lemont earlier this week.

On Monday afternoon, a 12-year-old girl was walking beside her bike with two friends when they noticed a man approaching them, said Liane Jackson, spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

When the girls began running away, the man chased after them. The girls were able to run into the nearby Limestone subdivision, at which point the man stopped pursuing them, Jackson said.

The girl's parents immediately filed a complaint with the Cook County Sheriff's Office, who later notified the Lemont Police Department.

Police said the man was described as white with a pointed nose, dark short hair and a thin, small frame. He is believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, and was wearing light blue jeans and a dark blue Chicago Bears jacket, according to the report.

The incident is under investigation and is being treated as report of "suspicious activity," not an attempted abduction, Jackson said.

Lemont Police Chief Kevin Shaughnessy said Thursday that his investigators were working hand-in-hand with the Sheriff's Office to follow all possible leads in the case.

"We do feel this was a credible threat, even though the man didn't say anything to the kids," Shaughnessy said.

The report came just one day after Lemont police received a call about near Timberline Drive and New Avenue.

According to police, the boy was riding his bike around noon Sunday when he saw the man staring at him from his truck. When the man nodded his head, the boy became frightened and ran to tell nearby adults.

The man is described as a white or Hispanic male with dark hair and sunglasses, and was said to be driving a 2003 to 2005 dark green or black GMC truck with tinted windows and a cab on the back, police said.

This week's reports are the most recent in a string of suspicious incidents involving men trying to lure young children.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3, Lemont police were notified of an in the 500 block of First Avenue. In that case, the offender was described by the girl as a white male with close cropped hair and facial stubble. He was driving an older model of a dark green SUV, police said.

Though the attempted abduction is not believed to be related to Sunday's incident, police have not ruled out a possible connection to Monday's report, Shaughnessy said.

As a result of the recent complaints, Shaughnessy said the Police Department has increased its surveillance around the village.

"We're doing our best to work with all other agencies on these cases and to make the people of Lemont feel safe," he said.