Police: Man attempted to lure 10-year-old boy into van outside Portage Park gas station

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police have issued an alert after a man tried to lure a 10-year-old boy into a van in the Portage Park neighborhood on Wednesday, police said.

The boy was walking home from school with two classmates in the 3600-block of North Laramie Avenue at about 3:15 p.m., police said. When the boy's classmates went inside the gas station, a man drove up in a purple van and repeatedly asked the boy to "come here" and pointed inside his vehicle, police said.

Thy boy ran inside the gas station and called his mother who called 911. The suspect drove away southbound on Laramie Avenue.

Police said the man is about 30 years old with short black hair and a mustache and was wearing a dark gray sweatshirt and jeans. The vehicle was a purple van and had a ram symbol, possibly a Dodge.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Area North Detectives at (312) 744-8200.