Mar 3, 2007 By Patty Yauger 3 min read

LATROBE – Tina sits in front of the computer screen and chats with her school friends. Her profile, that includes a photograph in her cheerleader uniform, her age, hometown and likes and dislikes, lets all who enter the popular chat room know too much about the youngster, said state police Trooper 1st Class Glen K. Bard, computer investigative specialist.

In reality, Bard is Tina and is using the alias to track pedophiles and predators that are seeking out unknowing youngsters like the Bard’s make-believe teenager.

“The Internet is both the greatest invention and the worst,” he told teachers, counselors, administrators and others participating in the Westmoreland County Student Assistant Program winter workshop hosted by Saint Vincent College. “It just depends on how it is being used.”

Predators and pedophiles who once stalked school yards, playgrounds and other gathering places for their young prey are now using Web cams and computer screens to lure boys and girls.

“It is the fastest growing crime in America,” said Bard.

The trooper said that he spends a lot of time tracking those that prey on youngsters and within seconds of signing into the chatroom, Tina begins receiving messages from around the world.

Some inquiries, said Bard, are harmless; others can be dangerous.

In most cases, “Tina” receives some type of sexual proposition within 17 seconds of entering the teen chatroom.

“That’s the longest it’s taken,” said Bard as those in the room gasped at the short period of time.

Predators and pedophiles revel in the anonymity the Internet offers. They search out kids that are home alone or lonely or are just curious about sex but cannot find anyone to give them an answer.

“They slowly work their way into the young person’s life,” said Bard. “They send gifts – telephones so they can talk to the teens anytime. They become their friend and develop a rapport of trust.”

The stereotypical predator is “very dangerous,” said Bard.

Eventually, this online “friend” coerces his victim into a face-to-face meeting. In most cases, the child is sexually assaulted within one hour of being kidnapped and likely murdered within three hours.

“If we don’t catch them within 24 hours, it is unlikely that we will,” he said.

Some pedophiles, on the other hand, will continue to meet with a child over and over again, said Bard, duping the child into believing they are now meeting with a friend.

According to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, 79 percent of teens state that they are not careful enough when giving out information over the Internet with 64 percent admitting that they do things online that they would not want their parents to know about.

Parents, said Bard, should talk to their children about using the Internet and the dangers of posting personal information and using chatrooms.

“E-mail addresses should be nondescript, especially for females,” he said. “Never fill out profiles with real information and never set up a computer in a child’s bedroom.”

Bard said that if a child is victimized while online, parents should not shut down the computer, but immediately call police.

Several Web sites have information to help parents protect their children from online predators, including www.cyberangels.org

, www.wiredsafety.org

and www.haltabuse.org.