MCSO: Man in white van may be lurking

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office wants you to be on the lookout. They said a man followed a woman home and tried to get her into his van in West Mobile.

Paige Murph said it all started at the intersection of Dawes Road and Dawes Lane on Tuesday night.

Murph said she pulled up to a white van sitting in the middle of the road with its hazard lights on.

"He was just sitting there watching a Batman movie and the music was completely loud," Murph said.  

Murph said the driver motioned her to go around. She said it wasn’t until she pulled into her neighborhood roughly six minutes away that she realized the van had followed her.

Murph said the van pulled up next to her and started asking odd questions.

"I didn’t answer anything he said. He asked me my name and I didn't respond," said Murph.

Murph said the man tried to get her into the car saying he needed help with his GPS and needed directions to New Orleans but Murph said she knew to keep her distance.

"I warned him that you need to leave but he didn't take the warning,” said Murph.

Murph said she feared what would happen next and wondered if she could make a run for it inside her home.

"I was just like does he have a weapon on him is he going to do anything," said Murph.

Murph said her neighbor pulled up and ran the man off. Since, there have been other reports of the suspicious vehicle.

Sgt. Joe Mahoney said Murph is lucky and others need to be on the lookout.

"We also have a lot of school children getting off the bus and we want to encourage the parents to reinforce that to their kids that if a van or a car pulls up next to them there is nothing wrong with them running and screaming,” said Mahoney.

The man in the van is described as white, in his early 30’s with brown hair and a beard.

The sheriff’s office is on alert and said you need to be too. If you see anything or think someone is following you home, call the police.