11-Year-Old Girl Describes Attempted Luring

Man uses cash to try to lure three children down an alley

A community alert has been issued in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood on the Northwest side after a man tried to lure three girls away Wednesday.

Police say at about 6:30 p.m. in the 5700 block of West Belden Street, the children -- aged 9, 10 and 11 -- were walking home from a park close to where they go to school when they were approached by a man who tried to lure them down an alley using cash as bait. The girls ran away.

The 11-year-old child, Christine, is still rattled by the experience.

"He had looked at us and he was like, "Come, come," and he said it twice," Christine said. "He pulled out money and he kept on coming closer. Every time we were stepping back. I told them to run and we all ran."

Christine says she immediately called her grandmother who called 911.

"It looked like he was trying to kidnap us," she said.

Police say the man they're looking for is known to frequent a nearby McDonald's at the corner of Central and Fullerton.

He's described as a Hispanic male between 6-feet and 6-feet-2 inches tall with straight black hair, a white beard and a raspy voice. He was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and black boots.

Chritine's grandmother, Millie Strabac, is now re-thinking whether to ever let the kids walk to and from school without an adult.

"I normally walk her to the school, pick her up from school, but on the nice days I let her walk to the school with her friends, but now I have to think twice about it," Strabac said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department.
 

Contact Us