Bowling Green Police Department provides update on van investigation

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Bowling Green Police Department has released an update concerning an investigation into an incident involving a van.

On Thursday, Feb. 9 shortly after 8 a.m., the Bowling Green Police Department says it responded to a report of an attempted abduction in the area of Bent Tree Avenue in Bowling Green.

Authorities say a 17-year-old contacted her mother regarding the event, and her mother reached out to police.

In a social media post, BGPD explains the situation that unfolded, stating the 17-year-old was walking on Bent Tree Avenue when she noticed the white van stopped at a stop sign on Huntington Street. Authorities further stated she told police she believed she saw two men in the van and became uneasy. The woman then turned around and walked toward Newberry Street, turned onto that street and saw the van turn in her direction onto Bent Tree, authorities stated.

BGPD stated she then ran to a friend’s home on Newberry Street that was close to her location. Police say she told them a van drove by and then out of sight, and she was able to give authorities a description of the van.

Officers saturated the area but could not locate the van, according to BGPD.

Bowling Green police then shared information online asking residents of the neighborhood if they could locate the van on surveillance systems.

According to authorities, the public reached out and sent several tips about van sightings as well, but they did not match the description of the exact van.

After securing video of the van from the neighborhood, BGPD says this helped to narrow down a specific time frame that helped to identify the van.

Authorities say they determined the van belonged to “a local transportation company” that transports people with functional needs. As part of the investigation, police identified drivers who drove these vans on the date of the incident.

BGPD says the driver, a man from another county, ultimately was attempting to drop off a client in Bowling Green when he became lost due to leaving a number off of a GPS entry. Police say he then called a co-worker for assistance while sitting at a stop sign, as police say he was unable to find the needed location.

Authorities say they have confirmed they determined the address the driver attempted to find was only blocks from Newberry Street. The driver was able to drop off the client at their destination and return home.

BGPD continued the social media message, saying, “We want to commend this young lady for doing exactly what she needed to do. She felt uneasy and took quick action to get to a secure and safe place. We are proud our citizens jumped in and contacted us while we were trying to locate this van. We want to thank the many residents who both sent us video and allowed us to view video from their home systems and the many businesses who helped us locate footage.”