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What initially seemed like an isolated abduction attempt now appears to be a frightening string of crimes aimed at females around Oxford.

Police said four women contacted them after reportedly having been harassed by two males driving a white van around town in the early morning hours of Oct. 11.

"A similar description of the suspects and vehicle was given in each the four incidents," Oxford police Sgt. Jim Squance said. "From what we can tell they were targeting females who were walking home alone."

A 20-year-old Miami University student told police she was walking on South Beech Street near Mesler Auto Body around 4 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, when the men grabbed her from behind and attempted to force her into their van. She was able to break free of their grasp and run to her residence, Squance said.

Shortly after word got out regarding the attempted kidnapping, an 18-year-old Miami University student told police she was harassed by similar subjects. As she was walking on Patterson Avenue near Spring Street at 3:30 a.m., she said a white van approached her and two male occupants offered her a ride home.

The student reportedly turned down the offer, but said the van continued to slowly follow her until an oncoming vehicle approached them. She told police she noticed the same van in the parking lot behind her dorm at 4 a.m. on Oct. 12, adding a friend told her the vehicle had been parked there most of the day.

Squance said his department received two additional complaints of similar nature, but was unable to provide further information into either incident. He did confirm that they both involved females and took place during the same period of time on Saturday.

Oxford police stress the importance of using common sense, Squance said, encouraging both Miami students and Oxford community members to not put themselves in dangerous situations.

"We're asking people to use common sense," he said. "Don't walk home alone at night, especially if you're a female. Don't let alcohol cloud your vision, lock your doors and windows and don't set yourself up to have bad things happen to you."

Squance said he was not sure if any of the victims were intoxicated at the time of the incidents.

The issue spurred the university to issue a campus crime alert. Claire Wagner, Miami's director of news and public information, said the school takes many opportunities to offer students safety tips.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Oxford Police Department at (513) 524-5240 or its criminal investigations division at (513) 524-5248. Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.

Abduction attempts are "not a common occurrence" in Oxford, Squance said. The last one occurred in January 2006 as two Miami students were helping a 19-year-old student back to his dormitory shortly before 3 a.m. when three suspects pulled up in a van and offered to give him a ride.

Ryan Coli never made it back to his dorm that day. Instead, he was beaten, robbed and left stranded on Nine Mile Road in Union County, Ind. – about 15 miles from campus.

All three suspects were later apprehended, charged and sentenced to prison.

Contact this reporter at (513) 523-4139, ext. 86102, or at rgauthier@coxohio.com.