Viburnum Police Look for Suspect

(Viburnum, MO) Viburnum Police are looking for an older male who may have been making an attempt to abduct children from the area Sunday. A post on the department's Facebook page indicates four young juveniles, including two females and two males, were approached by an older man while they were in G and W Grocery in Viburnum. He is alleged to have followed the children out of the store, got in his car, and offered them a stuffed animal. The post reads at first, they refused to take it. Then, one of the males went to the vehicle and took the stuffed animal. The children said the man drove off north on spruce street. They also say as they walked on spruce they realized the stuffed animal had something hard sewn into it. The children discarded it thinking it might be some kind of tracking device. When they informed an adult of the situation they went back to retrieve the stuffed animal and turn it over to the police but it was gone.

The man is described as an older white male, possibly around 70 years of age, with short gray hair, and slight facial hair on his chin. He has a thin build and is approximately 6 feet tall. He was wearing silver rimmed circle glasses, had on a light blue ball cap, and a green button up shirt with blue jeans. They described the vehicle he was in as a faded black, older model, possible GMC SUV, with tinted windows. If you know a person, or a vehicle, fitting the description provided, or have any information in reference to this incident, contact the Viburnum Police department at 573-244-5528 or call Quad County dispatch at 573-244-5220. You can also contact your local police department or 911.