Police Monday continued searching for a kidnapping suspect accused of luring two juvenile girls into his vehicle in the North Hills area.
Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mission Division responded about 5:20 p.m. March 15 to the 8900 block of Lemona Avenue, according to the LAPD.
The suspect allegedly approached two girls, ages 11 and 16, as they were walking near Sepulveda Boulevard and Nordhoff Street and asked if they needed a ride.
The girls initially declined, but were approached again a short time later near Nordhoff Street and Columbus Avenue, where they accepted the offer, police said.
After entering the vehicle and providing their destination, the suspect drove past the intended route and continued eastbound on Nordhoff Street toward the Lemona Avenue area, where he locked the doors and parked, police said.
Investigators said the suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his early 20s, made lewd requests toward the victims, prompting them to scream for help.
The girls managed to escape the vehicle, falling onto the roadway and suffering minor injuries as the suspect fled, according to police.
“Mission Division detectives arranged for the victims to meet with a forensic composite artist. An updated community alert is being released,” the police department said in a statement.
Anyone with information about the case was urged to contact LAPD Mission Division detectives at 818-838-9810. Calls made outside of business hours should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.