West Tisbury Police say it turns out a language barrier played a role in two juveniles in the Island Farms neighborhood reporting a suspicious woman to police and the police, in turn, asking for the public’s help. The woman had allegedly offered the two individuals a ride.
On Thursday, West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone issued a press release that sheds more light on the situation.
“On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, the female party involved in our previous press release, issued on Jan. 27th, came to the police station to address the issue of offering a ride to the juvenile females in the Island Farms neighborhood,” Mincone wrote. “She stated that she asked, ‘Get in the car?’ as a question; due to a language barrier the juveniles became alarmed, along with not knowing who she was.”
The woman was attempting to be a good Samaritan. “The female party visits the neighborhood often as family resides there, she indicated the weather was cold and offered the ride out of kindness,” the release states. “The juveniles identified the female operator and vehicle via a photograph. We believe this was a concerned citizen offering a ride out of an act of kindness, and consider this case resolved. We applauded the juvenile females for speaking with their parents.”
In a nod to a part of the release that also drew some attention and more than a couple of chuckles — police described the woman as a “middle-aged white female (late 20s to late 30s).” — Mincone wrote, “We also take heed in the usage of ‘middle-aged’ in the future.”