Boys feared kidnapping

A potentially dangerous situation involving two Oak Park boys Wednesday morning turned out to be nothing more than a misunderstanding.

The boys, in grades three and five, were on their way to Red Oak Elementary School when they were approached by a stranger at Rockfield and Carmona streets. Frightened, the boys informed their school principal, who contacted police. The school district initiated its emergency phone call system and sent e-mails to parents describing the incident.

The "abductor" turned out to be an FBI agent just trying to do a good deed.

The man, whose name was not released, contacted School District Superintendent Tony Knight to say he was the one who spoke to the boys. The man also offered to call police to explain what had happened.

The initial report dispatched from the school district said the boys were on their way to school when they passed by a small blue sedan parked along the street.

The driver of the vehicle caught up with the boys and, after telling the younger child that his bicycle tire was low, offered to give him a ride to school. The older boy urged the younger one to ignore the man and the two boys dropped their bikes and ran toward home.

The boys did not go home but instead returned to their bikes after seeing that the man was gone. They went on to school and reported the incident to Principal Jon Duim.

The children described the man as being in his mid 30s, Caucasian, with medium length, wavy brown hair and wearing glasses.

A subsequent e-mail and phone message went out explaining that a parent had called the school district to explain that he lived one house away from where he saw the boys and that he did not offer them a ride, but the use of a pump to put air in the bike's tire.

The incident raised questions about when it's appropriate for adults to speak to children who aren't their own, and whether they should offer help when needed.

It's okay for adults to offer assistance to children they don't know, but only by providing verbal advice, said Sgt. Jim Fryhoff, a crime prevention officer with the Thousand Oaks Police Department. Offering a child a ride in a car, especially if he or she doesn't know you, can be unnerving, Fryhoff said.

"There are opportunities in our lives where if we say something we can help," Fryhoff said. "But don't get in a car even with those you know unless parents have told you specifically that you can accept a ride from that individual."

Police and school officials advise parents to review safety rules with their children.

"When walking or riding to school, a child should only run home if it is closer and if it is certain that an adult is going to be present when the child returns, otherwise the child should run or ride immediately to school and report it to school officials," Knight said.

Knight urged parents to talk to children about how to be safe and "to never, under any circumstances, get into a car of anyone they do not know."

Tips on how to help kids avoid potentially dangerous situations are detailed on The Thousand Oaks Police Department Web site at www.ci.thousandoaks.ca.us/city_hall/depts/police/childlure.asp .

Or call the department at (805) 371-8329.