We have noticed/been made aware of an uptick in suspicious strangers/circumstances in Harrisonville. We came across this post written a few days ago by KCPD and felt that it was an apt time to share it for our followers as well.
1. Stranger abduction is incredibly rare. The people most likely to hurt your children are people you know. So it's important to talk to your kids about boundaries and exercise caution with whom you allow them to interact.
2. Kids most at risk for abduction are run-aways and those involved in at-risk life-styles, not well-supervised children at stores and parks.
3. In our experience, someone acting shady around you in public is FAR more likely to want to steal your property than abduct you or your children. So your gut is probably right that something is off, but statistically, theft is what's on that shady guy's or gal's mind. So keep your personal property close at hand, and definitely don't leave it in your car in plain view. Feeling creeped out? Definitely go with your gut and leave the area.
4. Be cautious about posting pictures of people you think are "suspicious" on social media. We've seen too many people who had perfectly good explanations for what they were doing turned into Public Enemy No. 1. These folks did nothing wrong, but a misunderstanding/lack of information harmed their reputation in the community. Vigilantism can hurt a lot of people.
5. That being said, of course you should keep a good eye on your children and surroundings when out in public, and again, call us if you don't feel safe. The Police Department's Non-Emergency number (which is still answered by Dispatch 24/7) is 816-380-8940
