GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man was arrested in Grand Rapids Tuesday morning in connection to at least five child abduction attempts since Thursday, Aug. 26. According to police, the most recent attempt occurred Monday, when the suspect allegedly physically assaulted a minor.
The abduction attempts happened in the Alpine and Richmond area, with two of them occurring near Richmond Park and near Harrison School. The physical assault happened at Richmond Park, police say.
At this time, the extent of the minor’s injuries are unknown.
Investigators say the man tried to lure boys between the ages of 5 and 13 years of age, with a ploy of helping him find his lost dog. They say he implied he had a weapon in at least one of the incidents.
Each victim gave a similar description of the man, who was caught on surveillance video.
In the early hours of Tuesday, police released a statement asking for the public’s help in locating the suspect. According to GRPD, his capture was directly attributed to a tip received from a community member.
"It is this cooperation that makes Grand Rapids a safer place. We rely on the communities help to solve crime and this is a perfect example of how that can happen", said Chief Eric Payne.
Police say the man was taken into custody without incident around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday morning. He was found walking in the general area of where the incidents occurred. Police say the man will be interviewed by detectives and charges will be presented to the Kent County Prosecutor's Office.
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