Community Corner

UPDATED: Police Arrest Suspect in Second Pine-Richland Child Luring Incident

The middle school student reported the incident to his principal, who called police.

Northern Regional Police have arrested a suspect in another child-luring incident involving a Pine-Richland School District student.

This is the second time within a little more than a month that police have charged someone with attempting to entice a Pine-Richland student into a car.

According to the district, a middle school student was leaving his school bus near Chaucer Circle and Renee Drive in Richland Township Wednesday afternoon when a stranger twice offered him a ride.

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Northern Regional Police Chief Bob Amann said the man offered to ride the 14-year-old "up the road."

The following morning, the boy reported the incident to middle school principal David Kristofic, who in turn called police, Pine-Richland spokeswoman Rachel Hathhorn said.

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On Thursday, police charged Thomas Richard Wilhoit, 65, of Hampton, with attempting to lure a child into a motor vehicle.

“The student was able to provide an accurate description of the suspect and car,” said an email notification sent to parents from the district Thursday regarding the incident. “Following the report, the Northern Regional Police Department took swift action and made an arrest.”

Amann did not want to elaborate on how police tracked down Wilhoit, but said the information the teen provided to police was essential in making the arrest.

"The young victim in this was very observant," the chief said. "The information he provided to us led us to this invdivual. He did the right thing by going into the school and telling his principal first thing in the morning."

Wilhoit was arraigned at 3 p.m. Thursday before District Justice Suzanne Blaschak. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.

As of Friday, Wilhoit is lodged in Allegheny County Jail, unable to post the $10,000 bail, Amann said. 

This is the second time in a little more than a month that Northern Regional police have made an arrest in a child-luring incident.

In March, investigators arrested 24-year-old Mitchell Gregory Klein, a former West Sunbury resident who recently moved to the Bakerstown area, after police said he repeatedly offered a 17-year-old Richland girl a ride near her bus stop on Grandview Drive and Oakhill Drive.

Police tracked down Klein shortly after the March 25 incident by using surveillance video from the gas station that showed the blue Chevy Cavalier Klein was driving.

Klein, who also is charged with child luring, is scheduled to be formally arraigned June 6 at the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas.

Hathhorn commended the middle school student for reporting the incident to school officials.

She noted Wednesday’s incident serves as an important reminder for parents to talk to their students about stranger danger.

Anyone who notices any suspicious activity in the area may call the district’s tip line at 724-499-TIPS, she said.

“If there’s something of concern, call that tip line,” she said. “That will go straight to the police.”

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