SPANAWAY, Wash. — The Pierce County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) came across an odd discovery Wednesday morning in the form of a white van abandoned near a school bus stop with a common phrase used to lure children spray-painted on the side.
In a blog post, PCSD says it was called for reports of a suspicious vehicle at 19th Avenue and 192nd Street Court E around 6:10 a.m. Wednesday.
A white Econoline van was found with the phrase "WANT SOME CANDY" painted in black on the passenger's side of the van. PCSD said the vehicle appeared to have sustained significant damage and was believed to have been abandoned after being involved in a collision.
According to PCSD, the van is registered to a construction company but has no plates and hasn't been registered since 2020.
It is unclear whether the van was spray-painted and vandalized after it was parked or if the owner was actually driving around with the phrase on the vehicle, PCSD says.
PCSD mentions in its blog post that the story is a good reminder to talk to children about not getting into cars with strangers.
Below is a picture of the driver's side of the van, which also appeared to have the word "VAN" spray-painted onto it.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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