Police are searching for a man who grabbed and attempted to kidnap a 13-year-old boy in Ontario Friday night, authorities said.
The teen was walking to a relative’s home about 11 p.m. when a man hiding behind bushes in the 900 block of North Beryln Avenue jumped out and grabbed him, according to an Ontario Police Department news release.
The boy fought off the attacker and managed to escape, the release stated. The man then headed westbound on Plaza Serene Street from Berlyn.
Police described the attempted kidnapper as Hispanic, about 30 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a shaved head and tattoo on his right temple, possibly of the letters “LA” or “LS,” according to the release. He was wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt with black stripes on the sleeves, black jeans and black sneakers.
Police released a composite sketch early Saturday evening.
The incident is at least the fourth attempted kidnapping or child annoyance reported in Southern California since Thursday.
In Buena Park on Thursday afternoon, an attempted kidnapper pulled a 10-year-old boy off a park bench before the child managed to escape.
That same day, a 9-year-old girl said she was chased after school by a tattooed man driving a van in Inglewood.
And on Friday morning, an out-of-compliance sex offender was accused of trying to “lure” a 4-year-old girl into a men’s bathroom at a Covina park. Her mother intervened and the man was later arrested, police said.
Anyone with information about the Ontario incident is asked to call Detective Sean Harden at 909-395-2796. Anonymous tips can be left by calling WE-TIP at 800-782-7463 or through the website www.wetip.com.
KTLA’s John A. Moreno contributed to this report.
