Des Moines police says two girls were sexually assaulted at a local park just before five o’clock Wednesday. the assaults came just a short time after state officials held a news conference to ask the public to be on alert after six attempts to entice young girls in recent days in Dallas Center, Panora and Urbandale.
Des Moines police say the suspect in the latest assault is described as a white male in his early 20’s, shorter dark hair, medium height and thin build wearing a possible green polo shirt and khaki type shorts.
Iowa Department of Public Saftey spokesman, Jim Saunders, says they started comparing notes and decided the earlier six cases had enough in common to put out a statewide notice. Saunders says they’re asking parents to remind children about the dangers of speaking with strangers and asks that parents or another adult accompany children when they are playing outside. Saunders says they are also looking for help in identifying the man in these cases and any other possible cases.
Saunders says they are also asking anyone in the state who may have an instance that’s similar to this involving their children, that they contact police. Saunders says you may not have thought anything of the incident at the time, but it may be related to these cases in central Iowa. Saunders says it’s also important that parents stay alert and report anything unusual.
Saunders says if something like this does happen to your children, call 9-1-1 right away. Saunders says you should be aware of where your children are and where they’re going, and take the appropriate precautionary measures. Saunders says a composite sketch of the suspect in the Urbandale cases is available on-line at the D-P-S website.
Saunders says one of the victims said the car of the suspect had a Nebraska plate with the letters G-A-Z-A on it.