Elgin police release sketch of possible abduction suspect
Elgin police have released a sketch of a man possibly involved in an attempted child abduction last week.
Police Cmdr. Ana Lalley said in a statement Monday that a 45-year-old woman who was walking with two grandchildren provided a detailed description used for the sketch. An Elgin police sketch artist received the woman's details.
Based on the woman's description, the potential suspect is a Hispanic man about 5 feet 5 inches tall, 150 pounds, roughly 30 years old with black, wavy hair and black mustache. He was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans and had a skull tattoo on his right hand.
Police said the woman provided details the sketch artist used to illustrate the tattoo.
Authorities said the man was a passenger riding in a white cargo van that made a U-turn before he tried to abduct a boy younger than 5 years old, who was strapped in a stroller, about 8 p.m. last Thursday, July 9, near Gertrude and Morgan streets on Elgin's southwest side. Police said the woman also was with a granddaughter younger than 8 years old.
Lalley said the van stopped in the street and the Hispanic man confronted the woman and attempted to forcefully abduct the boy. The woman was able to hold on to the stroller and yell for help.
The suspect ran back to the van, which another man was driving. Both children were unharmed, said Lalley, but the woman reported minor injuries.
Elgin police said anyone with information should call Detective Scott St. John at (847) 289-2619 or provide an anonymous tip on a crime line at (847) 695-4195. Tipsters also may text cops at 847411 and must include ELGINPD in the beginning of the message.