A man described as “strange” reportedly attempted last Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 3, to pick up three boys that were dropped off by a Barrington school bus.

Barrington police said a mother of one of the boys called early Thursday morning to report the attempted abduction near Mathewson Road and County Road.

The woman told police that the man “asked her son and two other boys if they wanted a ride.” The boys ignored him, she said, and he drove away. The boys attend Hampden Meadows Elementary School, which has fourth- and fifth-graders.

The boys got a very limited description of the vehicle, according to Barrington Police Chief John LaCross. They just said it was silver in color.

The woman asked the police to patrol that intersection at the same time of the day to see if anyone in a silver vehicle returns. A patrol was expected to keep an eye out on that spot, LaCross said.