SAN CLEMENTE, California (KTLA)—

UPDATE (via KTLA): 

The porcelain dolls left at the homes of eight families in San Clemente and  resembling young girls who live there was left in a gesture of “goodwill,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Department stated in a tweet Thursday night.

Investigators located the person who left the dolls on the porches, the Sheriff’s Department tweeted shortly after 9 p.m. The department did not release the person’s name.

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Eight families in San Clemente have been targeted in a disturbing pattern under investigation by authorities: porcelain dolls have been left at their homes resembling young girls who live there.

Some of the girls, all about 10 years old, attend the same elementary school, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Jeff Hallock said.

“Families in each of the homes where porcelain dolls were left voiced concern that the dolls resembled their daughters,” the Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release.

Up to 11 dolls were left in front of the girls’ homes, Hallock said. He initially said four dolls had been placed in front of homes, then revised that figure to eight and then 11.

The families all live in the same residential development, known as Talega.

The dolls, first reported on Tuesday, were taken into evidence and investigators were trying to determine what prompted someone to leave them. They weren’t being considered a crime, Hallock said.

“Is it a prank? Is there some specific motivation?” Hallock said. “Obviously, there’s an indication by some the parents that the dolls resemble their daughters. We’re talking about children here.

“Anything that has the potential to involve children causes us some concern.”

The dolls were being examined for clues as to their origin or who left them.

“Investigators are working with community members and the impacted families in an attempt to locate any possible connection between the homes where dolls were left,” the Sheriff’s Department news release stated.

Photos provided by Hallock showed two of the dolls — one in a blue dress and one in a pink dress. The latter doll was accompanied by a bunny wearing a pink bow and small white bunny slippers.

Anyone with information was asked to call the Sheriff’s Department’s South Investigations Unit at 949-361-8224 or 714-647-7000.  Anonymous tipsters may call 855-847-6227 or go to occrimestoppers.org.

For updates on this story, you can head to KTLA.com by clicking here.