Public's Help Needed To Find Man Trying To Lure Young Girls In Valencia

VALENCIA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding a man who has allegedly been approaching young girls in Valencia.

Sheriff's deputies said the suspect first walked up to a 10-year-old girl around 3 p.m. Monday as she was waiting for her parents to pick her up at Old Orchard Park.

The suspect struck up a conversation and said her parents sent him to pick her up, according to Sgt. Brian Hudson.

The girl told investigators that she got scared and ran toward Lyons Avenue, where she saw her mother drive up. The girl told her mother what happened and she immediately reported the incident to the sheriff's Santa Clarita station.

Law enforcement say that just thirty minutes later the suspect approached a 14-year-old girl several miles away, near Orchard Village Road and Wiley Canyon Road, Hudson said.

The suspect asked the girl if she wanted to get some ice cream with him. She declined and began walking away, only to find the suspect was following her.

The 14-year-old began running until she found a place to hide, where she waited until the suspect left the area.

She later told her family, who alerted police.

The suspect was described as being between the ages of 22 and 30. He is between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs between 150 and 180 pounds.

"So far he has not hurt anyone and we want to catch him before he does," Hudson said.

Anyone with information was asked to call (562)619-1370, the sheriff's Palmdale Station at (661) 255-1121 or Crimestoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.

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