CHESAPEAKE, Va.— Members of a Chesapeake community are on edge.
The office at Chesapeake Pointe Apartments tells News 3 they sent a letter about a possible predator lurking near their homes, talking to children. But Chesapeake Police believe it was a misunderstanding. We went into the neighborhood and spoke with residents who are still worried.
Police confirmed with us that a letter was sent out to residents about two men and a woman allegedly lurking around the Chesapeake Pointe Apartment Homes community. They say they were specifically targeting kids at the playground.
"It's scary! It's scary to know that something like that can happen to one of your kids," said Angel Flynn concerned resident.
Flynn is now worried about her 12-year-old son's safety.
"I try to keep him now closer, to where I have eyes on him at all times anywhere he goes," said Flynn.
Management at the apartment complex placed a letter outside her door about an alleged predator lurking in the apartment complex.
"I instantly called my husband, told him about it, and called my brother. They were like nope, no more. The kids aren't going to the park anymore," said Flynn.
This apartment complex lies across city lines in both Portsmouth and Chesapeake. We reached out to Portsmouth and Chesapeake police about the alleged predators. Police are in fact aware of a letter that was given to residents from management at the apartment complex. The letter says, "We have been informed by police and other residents of a woman and two men in a vehicle parked with the trunk open by our playgrounds."
Chesapeake Police tell News 3 they looked into this situation and say no crime was committed and they believe it was a misunderstanding.
"It's not just my kids that are at risk it's everybody's kids," said Flynn.
Other neighbors like Quadricka James said she's not a parent but she still wants to see extra security measures.
"This is the back door anyone can just come through here. All they got to do is open it. Full access, and there's the park back there that they be creeping around. Anyone can get away clean, they can easily run in here," said Quadricka James, a concerned resident.
"Since I live on the first floor it's very alarming because you have these people running around and all you can do is send out a notice," said James.
In that letter, it also said, "These suspicious people have been asking for young children to take pictures of the woman while the man walks towards them."
We asked the police for a description of the car and the three individuals but they told us they do not have that information and they're not looking for anyone.
"This is the only sense of safety I have is this camera. I'm literally depending on this camera. We need to have some type of security circling around this neighborhood making sure everyone is safe," said James.
Police are asking residents that if they see anything suspicious to call them immediately but they told News 3 they do not believe there is a threat to the community since no laws have been violated.
