Whittier Police Release Sketch Of Suspect Wanted For Attempted Kidnapping

WHITTIER (CBSLA.com) — Police in Whittier released a sketch Friday of a suspect they believe has tried to kidnap young girls on at least three occasions.

The latest attempted abduction occurred Thursday afternoon near Founders Park. The suspect allegedly grabbed an 11-year-old girl and placed her in the back of his red convertible.

The girl told police there was also a younger girl, about 7, in the backseat who was crying.

The 11-year-old said both got out of the vehicle and ran in opposite directions.

There is no word on the whereabouts of the younger girl.

Police said the case sounded eerily similar to two attempted abductions -- possibly involving the same suspect -- on Feb. 5.

The first incident happened around 11:25 a.m. in the area of 13000 Broadway, also near Founders Park. Police believe the suspect approached a 17-year-old girl and attempted to coax her into his vehicle. She said she didn't need a ride but the man persisted, followed her, and kept his door open.

Later that same day, around 4:40 p.m., a witness called police saying she saw a man in a red convertible tried to contact two high school-aged females in the 6700 block of Washington Avenue, across the street from Central Park.

The 11-year-old girl described the suspect as having short black hair and a tattoo of three dots on his left hand.

Anyone with information about the suspect was asked to call Whittier police Detective Ken Woods at (562) 567-9286 or Whittier police at (562) 567-9241.