Attempted Child Abduction Reported In Lake Elsinore; Police Seek Leads

Police are looking for a man who attempted to grab a 10-year-old Lake Elsinore girl walking home from school and pull her into his car.

The attempted abduction occurred about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Nectarine Way and Rolando Road in the north end of the city, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

A child told authorities that she was on her way home when she noticed the driver of a light-blue four-door sedan tailing her, a sergeant said.

"The vehicle pulled next to the victim, a Hispanic male exited the vehicle, then attempted to grab her arm, saying 'Get in the car,"' sheriff's Sgt. Daniel Anne said. "At that time, another vehicle drove by the suspect and victim, at which point the suspect got back into the vehicle and drove away from the area last seen heading east on Nectarine."

The girl ran home and reported what had happened to her parents. She was not injured.

The suspect was described as Hispanic, in his 20s, thinly built, with short hair, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

"There will be an increased police presence in the area of occurrence and in and around other schools as we continue to look for the suspect and any evidence involved in this case," Anne said.

Anyone with more information was urged to call the sheriff's Lake Elsinore station at (951) 245-3300. --City News Service