Police: Attempted Abduction of 5-Year-Old Boy Reported in Linn County

From Cedar Rapids Police:

Reported Abduction

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – August 1, 2012 – The Cedar Rapids Police Department received a report of an attempted abduction on Tuesday, July 31, at about 5:30 pm in the 7500 blk Kirkwood Blvd SW. A 5 year old boy was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk with his father riding his motorcycle behind him on the street. A white 1990’s Chevy Astro van pulled up next to the boy.

A white male exited the van and grabbed the boy and a white female got out and took the bike. The two started pushing the boy and the bike towards the van. The father was watching and began yelling at the two. They let go of the boy and the bike and left southbound on Kirkwood Blvd SW. This was reported to the police three hours later.  

The white male was in his 30’s, short brown hair, about 5’8” and 120 pounds. The white female was in her 20’s, thin build, shoulder length brown hair and a tattoo on the thumb web of her left hand. There was a third person who was driving the van and was described as a white male, glasses and larger build.

This release is intended to educate the public and not create paranoia amongst the community. Get as many details as possible about the person/s (height, weight, hair, and clothing) and the vehicle (color, year, make, body, license, style). REPORT THE INCIDENT IMMEDIATELY!  

If you have information regarding this or any crime, call the Cedar Rapids Police Department at 319-286-5491 or Linn County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME (272-7463) or text to CRIMES (274637) and in the message/subject, type 5227 and your tip. You can continue to trade information with an investigator. Text STOP to opt out at any time.   If the information you give, leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a reward. All calls are anonymous.   The Cedar Rapids Police Department is investigating the incident.   Here are some general safety reminders for parents to remember:

• Know where your children are at.  When they go out to play, set boundaries of where they can ride their bike or whose house they will be playing at.
• Be cognizant of what your children are wearing when they go out to play.
• Always carry a recent picture of the child. This should include their height, weight, hair and eye color.
• Talk to your children about strangers. You cannot always tell if a stranger is good or bad by what they are wearing or what kind of car they drive.
• Even if a stranger knows the child’s name, talk to the child about not going with a stranger. Don’t advertise your child’s name on their bike or their clothing. And remind them not to accept gifts from strangers or help find lost pets.
• Have your child practice the buddy system whenever possible. Play with friends and not strangers.
• Practice situations with your children. If they are being lured by a stranger, have them yell “Fire” or “You’re not my mom/dad.”
• Talk to your child to educate them but not to scare them.