A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and child molestation after being found in a vehicle with a boy, police said Thursday.
An officer on patrol about 9 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Walnut Avenue and Hill Street saw a parked vehicle and spoke to the two occupants, a man and a boy who appeared nervous when questioned, according to the Signal Hill Police Department.
The boy said he had been picked up by the man, identified as Pedro Rodriguez-Mejia, in the 1400 block of Walnut Avenue in Long Beach, police said.
The boy told officers Rodriguez-Mejia was his neighbor, but he was unable to answer any other questions about him, police said.
During the investigation, officers learned Rodriguez-Mejia had kidnapped the boy less than an hour before they were located, police said.
“Instead of driving the victim home as promised, they drove to the city of Signal Hill where Rodriguez-Mejia performed several lewd acts with the juvenile,” a police statement alleged.
Rodriguez-Mejia was arrested Tuesday and released Wednesday after posting $100,000 bail, police said.
Anyone with information about Rodriguez-Mejia was urged to call police at (562) 989-7200.
Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS or at lacrimestoppers.org.