Comsewogue Students Harassed by Man in Blue Mini-van

Comsewogue schools are extra vigilant about security after parents and students had run-ins with a suspicious blue mini-van on two separate occasions, according to Superintendent Joseph Rella.

At about 6:45 a.m. on Oct. 9, a 16-year-old from Comsewogue High School was reportedly walking down Terryville Road near Comsewogue Library on her way to her bus stop at Jarvin Road and Ardmer Drive when a blue-colored van drove down the road toward her from Route 347. According to an account that the girl gave to police and to the school, a man inside shouted to her to get into the van as it passed by. The van then made a u-turn and headed back in her direction on the same side of the road. The student ran home and called police and the school.

Then on Oct. 10 at about 7 a.m., another blue mini-van drove by a bus stop filled with students from John F. Kennedy Middle School on Jefferson Boulevard, just three blocks away from the first incident. A report given to police and the school says that the van slowed down as it passed the bus stop and someone inside shouted to the group of kids. A parent who happened to be at the bus stop at the time started to approach the van but when they spotted her, it sped off.

Police said that the vehicle was described as a Chrysler mini-van with tinted windows. The van has also been described by students and parents as being teal-colored.

Rella said that a message about the incident was sent out to parents in the school district and afterwards, three calls came into the school with additional sightings of a blue van.

One parent was able to get a license plate, which was given to police. According to Rella, a video of the van was also taken by a student but wasn't clear enough to reveal the license plate.

School Board member Lance Brown confirmed by email that the incidents were reported to police.

“We did get a license plate on a possible vehicle and the Suffolk County Police Department is investigating,” he said. “Any sightings were reported to the police and I think the community is taking additional security measures.”

The school has increased security in response and has been working with police.

“The district is being extra vigilant and checking I.D.s,” said Rella.

He said that detectives from the 6th Precinct have the case on a “high level.”

“The hope is to catch them or scare them,” Rella said, although he added that he preferred the suspects were caught so they don’t move on to another school district and try the same thing.

Update: Police said that the 6th Precinct Crime Section is investigating the incident.

"They have received a number of tips from the public that officers are looking into," a police spokesperson told Patch.

Patch will updated this story when more details are available.

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