By paNOW

UPDATED: Manhunt continues for sex offender

Oct 4, 2013 | 1:15 AM

The hunt is still on for a high-risk sex offender police believe could be in two west-central communities in Saskatchewan.

Sgt. Ian Skinner with the RCMP in Rosetown said they have received four calls from people who believe they have seen Michael Sean Stanley in the community of Rosetown, approximately 110 kilometres west of Saskatoon. The Mounties say in all there have been more than 10 reports of sightings Stanley; none have been confirmed but several have been disproven.

Of those potential sightings two were captured on video, but none have been substantiated, he said. The latest involved two high school students Friday morning who believed they had spotted Stanley’s purple vehicle in town. RCMP tracked the suspect vehicle down, which turned out to be a purple van owned by a local.

“I think people are genuinely concerned because of course we still just don’t know where he is,” Skinner said, adding police are not aware of any ties Stanley might have to the area.

“You know, it would be fairly brazen of him to be out in the public during the day right now given that everyone is looking for him like we are.”

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In the meantime, police in Kindersely are taking reports of potential sightings in their community very seriously. A vehicle matching the description of the truck Stanley is believed to be driving was spotted just before 1 p.m. Thursday in the Kindersley area. He may have also been seen on foot, according to RCMP.

On Thursday eight schools in the Sun West School Division were placed under a “hold and secure” alert, which means no one was getting in or out and the doors to the school were locked. Aseltine Elementary School in Rosetown took the same precaution for its students Thursday but was back to business as usual Thursday morning.

Danielle Hunter from Rosetown is a mother of three children. She walked them to school as per usual but today with a sense of alertness.

“You know, the paranoia runs rampant. Everybody sees everybody, everywhere you know? I think it will settle down,” she said after dropping off her children at elementary school.

Her kids, who are feeling a little worried, learned about the search for Stanley in school.

“I thought they did a good enough job. I didn’t really need to add to it, it would just make them more afraid than they already were.”

Hunter said she noticed some parents were still choosing to drop their kids off themselves at school.

RCMP have also told the French school in Vonda, near Aberdeen to lock their doors after receiving information that Stanley could be in the area.

RCMP later told the school they couldn’t confirm or deny if he was still in the area.

Still, all students who would normally walk home are being picked up by parents and any students who take the bus home will not be dropped off unless there is an adult at home.

RCMP say Stanley has a long history of sexual offences. He has taken kids from playgrounds in the past. He is described as Metis, 5’9″ tall, and 190 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

He may be driving a 1996 Chevrolet Trail Blazer with an Alberta plate BHD1954. Police ask the public not to approach Stanley if he is spotted, but to call 911.

news@panow.com

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