Suspicious Person Allegedly Tried to Lure Wappingers Student

Schools are in full swing across the Hudson Valley. A student in the Wappingers Central School District was put in a scary situation during drop off at the bus stop.

Suspicious Individual Approaches Wappingers Falls Student at Bus Stop

In an email sent to parents across the Wappingers Central School District, Superintendent Dr. Dwight Bonk detailed a situation in which a student was approached by a stranger during drop off.

Bonk writes:

The District is working with the NYS Troopers on an investigation involving a suspicious individual attempting to engage with one of our Sheafe Rd Elementary students after they had departed the school bus

The email explains that incident happened around 4 pm on Monday September 26th, 2026, near the Montclair Townhouses on Route 9D in Wappingers Falls.

Police and Wappingers Central School District Share Description of Suspicious Vehicle

New York State Police and the Wappingers Central School District share that they believe the individual was attempting to lure the child using money.

The student "did not comply" with the strangers demands and is safely at home.

The email goes on to add:

The individual in question is alleged to be driving a gray SUV.

When more information and a description of the individual is released we will make sure to add it to this story.

Wappingers Central School District Assists New York State Troopers

In the email Superintendent Bonk said that the Wappingers Central School District is "doing all that we can to assist with this investigation."

The statement reads:

We are doing all that we can to assist with this investigation, including sharing video from the bus cameras we have on the outside of our vehicles. If we receive additional information we will send out another communication.

Bonk went on to thank the New York State Troopers for "the work that they are doing in this ongoing investigation."

We will update this story with any more information that may be released in the future.

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