A 14-year-old boy walking his family’s dog near his home on General George Patton Road in Bellevue was approached by a man driving a vehicle marked local locksmith who told him to get in the car, according to the boy’s mother. The boy refused, the driver shut the car door and sped off, and the shaken teenager ran inside his house upset and frightened, his mother said.
The incident happened just before 6:30 p.m. on August 6 in the River Plantations neighborhood, a large residential subdivision near Sawyer Brown Road and General George Patton Road, as reported by WSMV. The boy’s mother said the man had been following her son near their home before the encounter, and she described the incident as very dangerous. She called police immediately after her son came inside.
Neighborhood Cameras Capture the Encounter
Neighborhood surveillance cameras captured the incident, and police are now reviewing that video as part of their investigation, the station’s report notes. Officers also attempted to call the phone number listed on the marked vehicle, but it goes to a voicemail that has not been set up. Police are continuing the investigation and have asked anyone with information to call them.
The community falls under the jurisdiction of the Metro Nashville Police Department’s West Precinct, which patrols a 108-square-mile zone stretching from the Vanderbilt area west through Davidson County, according to Nashville.gov. Open questions in the case include the driver’s true identity, whether the locksmith markings on the vehicle were legitimate or fraudulent, and whether homeowners’ surveillance footage will yield a clear license plate.
Parents Add Cameras, Voice Fear for Kids Walking Alone
The boy’s mother said she has since added more surveillance cameras outside her home, noting that cameras were installed to help keep the community safe. Sharika Costa, who has a 5-year-old child that recently started kindergarten, is among the parents in the neighborhood who are worried about children walking through the area…